[Symptom Free] - 3 Life Lessons Learned In A Moment Of Reflection

Today marks a very special anniversary here in the United States. It was 7 years ago today that our nation was shocked and attacked on our own soil. Do you remember where you were? How did it affect your life?

I'll never forget the morning it happened! I was working as a police and 911 dispatcher just outside of Boston. My group had just come back from 4 days off... It was a quiet morning that changed everything. As I sat down last night to plan out today's "featured article," it dawned on me that taking a moment to reflect is always important. It's a crucial step of appreciating where we have been and how far we have come...

Moments like this make me realize that I take almost every single day for granted. Whether we are caught up in work, school, or fighting battles, it's just too easy to lose sight of what counts.

What's important to you?

Almost every day I wake up and care for my two young children. It's a great privilege to be with them every single day...yet most days I am focused on making sure they behave and follow the rules. Oftentimes I find myself overlooking the very precious moments of sitting on the floor and chasing them around. I forget how those are the moments that really count in life.

It's for that reason I want to take a moment and step aside from the daily grind...

On September 12th, we started hearing stories of people who missed the train... We heard stories of people who missed a flight home and were miraculously saved from the events of 9/11. I think everyone here was affected deeply by the moments of that day (and what followed).

3 Lessons In Reflection

As I look back on that fateful day, and consider all the lives lost, I am thankful to be reminded about what is truly important in life.

1. Life Is Precious

There is a story from someone I have personally that illustrates how fragile life really is. This man worked in Manhattan, and took the train to the World Trade Center every single day. When he left his house in the morning, his children were asleep. And when his wife picked him up at the train station, his two children were once again sound asleep in the back of the car.

On the morning of Sept 11th, he planned to go in late after having breakfast with his children. Unsure of his responsibilities to work, he decided he couldn't miss the train or let his colleagues down.

The rest is history... This man did miss the train by a few seconds and his life was changed in that moment.

2. Take Time To Goof Off

Be certain you take time to enjoy the special moments in life. It's important to have strong values, but it's also important we realize that life is about adventures and moments. Life is not about work...

The true moments in life happen in a few seconds... Be late every once in awhile. It actually is okay. Or at least take a day off to just have fun.

My personal philosophy: There are more than enough serious people in this world to make up for those of us who want to have fun.

3. Priorities...

It's just too easy today to lose focus of what our priorities should be... In many cases, both parents are working outside the home just to survive. It's a necessity, and I get it. It's in those moments we need to remember our priorities...

It's especially important to slow down and remember what our priorities are... Why is it you get up every single day? For most of us, it's not likely about helping our employers do better. While that is a noble cause, I think most people get up every day to make sure they can provide a better life for their loved ones.

Before it's too late:

There are of course many more life lessons we can learn from tragic events. I think the most important one is to not wait for tragedy to happen.

Hugh Grant's character from "Love Actually"

"When the planes hit the Twin Towers, as far as I know none of the phone calls
from the people on board were messages of hate or revenge - they were all messages of love."