Never Forget?

If you work in Public Safety, meaning you work in Emergency Management, EMS, Fire Service, or Law Enforcement, you haven't forgotten.

If you provide a product or service to the Public Safety Market, it is hard not to remember.

One of the most significant issues I see in our society today is most of you have forgotten.

Most of you also haven't taught your kids to understand. Some of these children are now adults.

You forgot the shock.

You forgot the fear.

You forgot the nightmare of that day.

You forgot the love you had for your fellow citizen.

You forgot what it is like to put your needs in front of others for no other reason than they are a human.

You forgot the meaning of 9/11.

9/11, for me, is something I think about every day because I have dedicated my career to the Public Safety Industry.

My mission statement is: Get everyone home safely to their family and loved ones.

My first day in the Public Safety industry was 9/26/01. I sold homeland security equipment until the end of 2006. Since 2007 I have been a consultant, helping the industry fill the gaps, so agencies have the equipment and training they need to get home safely to their families and loved ones.

I could have gone into any industry and been successful. I stayed in this industry because it is a part of who I am. I just don't put on a hat and go to work. I live in my career.

If you genuinely want to remember 9/11 and not just read it on your social media page, step up and make today the day to do the following:

Love or at least like people with different points of view. Deep down, most of you don't.

Put down your finger that you point at others that live life differently than you and put up your thumb and point it at yourself because the world doesn't change until you change.

Stop thinking you shouldn't have any problems. You want to hang out with people that don't have problems, go to your local cemetery. Many like-minded people will surround you.

Let go of your expectations and start appreciating what you do have. It amazes me that after 5+ months of COVID-19, I even have to type this.

Take the time to understand and appreciate someone else world. You will be surprised how much you learn about yourself when you take the time to learn more about others.

Stop hating your opposition because the truth is you don't have opposition. You have someone else trying to meet their own needs while you are trying to meet your needs. The only opponent is in your head.

Speaking of your head, get out of it and get into your heart. Those who live in their head are dead.

Stop trying to impress everybody and start impressing yourself. You are not that important to most people.

Look for ways to add value to others, not just your friends and family. If you can add value to a stranger, imagine what you can for friends and family?

The 9/11 attacks resulted in 2,977 fatalities, over 25,000 injuries, and substantial long-term health consequences. Think about them the next time you operate for a need for significance or certainty. I would hope you would interrupt that pattern and start operating from a need for love or contribution.