“9/11 was a reminder that the bonds of family can be severed in an instant. They are essential, crucial, valuable, fragile.”

— Peter Jennings

On September 10th, 2001, almost 3000 people were not told they had one day to live.

On September 10th, 2001, untold family members and friends were not told that their loved ones had one day to live.

On September 10th, 2001, the world did not know.

The very next day the bonds of family and humanity were severed, and we learned once again how essential, crucial, valuable, and fragile those bonds are. They are indelible yet unremarkable. They are indestructible yet invisible. They are tough yet tacit. They are free yet priceless.

Today, on September 11th, 2012, let us forget about ourselves for a single day. Let us drop the word “I” from our vocabulary and replace it with “we.” Just for a day.

Let us instead think about the bonds of family, their fragility and their endurance. Let us think about what it takes to keep those bonds tight and how easily they are broken.

Then let us do everything we can today to strengthen both our familial bonds and the bonds of our human family. And that takes more than memories. It takes positive actions, even small actions. Give up a part of your day for someone else. Give your time. The action to give of ourselves, helps us remember that we are all essential, crucial, valuable, and fragile.

On 9/11, let us never forget. Then let us act to remember.

Yesterday’s gift of time … Took my son to his piano lesson, for perhaps the fiftieth time, showing up, helping a little, letting him make mistakes, listening. Being there is my way of telling him that he is essential, crucial, valuable, and fragile. Like the bonds of family. Like the bonds of humanity.