Lessons Learned

Everything we have learned since September 11th was true before September 11th. At a time when Americans were expected to be thrown into panic and despair, we stood together more united and with more common resolve than many of us have ever experienced in our lifetimes. Perhaps terrorists need to do their homework; there is historical precedence for this not-so-surprising unity and determination.

While entertainers and professional athletes stand in the limelight and collect inordinate paychecks, rescue workers have always been the real heroes. Whether extracting people from burning buildings or hostage situations, firefighters and law enforcement officers risk their lives daily, not for applause or wealth, but for the safety of our communities. When thousands of our citizens were lost in one brutal moment in time, we came to a new understanding of the value of human lives. Yes, we understand the value of commerce and of expedient travel, but, oh the greater value of a human life. We shake off the excesses and re-acknowledge the difference between wants and needs. We want nice houses and cars, leisure time and fine dining; we need each other. On September 11th, the mental health community prepared for an onslaught of responses to the tragedy. Community Mental Health Services announced it would stay open late and extra staff manned the crisis hotline. An interesting thing happened - no one came or called. At first glance this was phenomenal, but what was true before September 11th was true then. Counselors and crisis workers are vital, but all people, those with or without mental illness alike, seek primary emotional support from immediate circles of family and friends. We all felt a great turmoil of sadness and anxiety, but we did not run to a therapist. We did not rush to a spa or a tavern for stress relief or to forget. Old coping mechanisms gave way to the most honest desires of the heart. There was no denying the enormity of what had happened and in a validation of what has always been most important, we gathered with the people we love most. We called those loved ones whom we could not visit to gauge their emotional status, but mostly to simply tell them we love them. And so we come to the holiday season with a better understanding of the true holiday spirit than ever before and an opportunity to apply that understanding in the most meaningful ways. Acknowledge our true heroes. Send cards and letters of thankfulness to those who perform the most vital and often thankless jobs in our community. A popular talk show recently chronicled the story of a rescue worker from Tennessee who was deployed to the Pentagon to retrieve bodies from the rubble. At the end of his first day on the job he was overwhelmed by depression, but a letter of thanks and encouragement from a teenage girl across the country turned his despondency to pride and gave him the will to continue. That small gesture made a world of difference, and yours can too. Reach out to those who need support. Look around you. There are so many people who could benefit from your kindness during the holidays. Perhaps they struggle with illness or have recently lost loved ones. The merriment of the season may seem hollow to them and a quiet, sincere reminder that someone cares may make the unbearable bearable. Give of your time and your heart. A stack of presents pales in the presence of personal expressions of love. We have always known this, but it is now a glaring reality. No one would wish for the events that drove this point home, but it is important to remember that our greatest gifts are not dependent on financial status. They are free and the return on the investment is immeasurable. Challenges always bring opportunities. When one door closes, another opens. This holiday season may we walk confidently through the door that leads us to a new appreciation of what has always truly mattered.