Life's too short

You remember precisely where you were and what you were doing when you first became aware of the attacks that occurred nine years ago today, don’t you? As sure as our grandparents remember the news of Pearl Harbor and our parents remember the assassination of John F. Kennedy, the heartlessness of the attacks on 9/11/01 shocked our spirits. The images are forever seared into the heart, mind and soul of America’s living memory. No one was unaffected by those events. No one. For Americans, the world as we knew it ended that day. Consider this: Is any one of us living the same life we were on 9/10/01? I’m not.

Each year on 9/11, I remember one young man who was lost in particular - John Reo. His father, Armand Reo, was my principal back in 1979 when I graduated from Troy High. I respected Mr. Reo. He was kind and fair. In 1992, I hawked burgers at Troy High’s cafeteria and John, a popular jock, was a regular in my burger line. He was always respectful and polite. He was a stand up kid. He went on in life to work for Cantor Fitzgerald. Today I’ll be thinking about The Reos and all the families mourning the sudden losses of 9/11. Today I’ll thank a fireman, an ambulance driver, an emt and a cop.  Today I'll mourn again.  Today, I'll cry.

My personal motto changed that day to “Life's too short to be miserable so get out there and enjoy it”.  I will get out there and enjoy every moment of every day. I will seek to treasure each life that touch’s mine, even if only in the slightest way. I will strive to show kindness whenever I can. I will live today because tomorrow is not a guarantee.