Dad of Divas

One Dad's Quest to Regain Control of his Kingdom

9-11 – Honoring the past. Where were you 18 years ago?

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9-11

9-11 – Honoring the past. Where were you 18 years ago?

I think that for most of us we can all remember the moments that surrounded the 9-11 tragedy that struck our nation 18 years ago.
I remember where I was… I was in the my office at the university that I was working at as a Student Affairs Professional. I believe it was J-Mom who called me and told me to turn on the radio because it looked like a plane had collided with one of the twin towers. Unbeknownst to us was all the malice that was behind the first attack, let alone the subsequent attacks within New York City as well as the Pentagon and in Pennsylvania.
I remember hearing this and calling my colleagues to find a television that we could turn on and we watched in our main office as the tragedy revealed itself. I was numb, dumbstruck. Only once before had I felt this way, and that was when the Space Shuttle Challenger exploded. I simply had never witnessed such hatred, such a loss of life and later that week we found out how close to home this hit our family.

 

The Saturday before 9/11  J-Mom and I celebrated the wedding of a high school friend of J-Mom. The wedding was a wonderful event full of love and laughter. At that event I was able to meet a friend of the bride named Kelly Ann Booms who sat in front of us during the wedding. She made a comment that she had to get back to Boston on Sunday because she had a business trip that she had to fly out for (to Los Angeles) early on Tuesday morning (9/11). Later that week we found out that Kelly was a passenger on the first plane that hit Tower 1 (Flight 11). We were shocked that someone we just spoke with could be gone in an instant and it brought the national tragedy to a whole new level of meaning. We now felt a part of this tragedy and not as far removed.

 

The images of the first few hours of 9-11, the first few days afterward still are burned into my memory and I think they will never leave. For my generation, I think that this event will be the event that truly defines our generation as it may have been Pearl Harbor for my grandparents of the JFK assassination of JFK for my own parents.

 

So today, 18 years later I take a moment to remember Kelly and the other victims of the 9/11 attacks. May we never again live through such an event.

When my daughters get old enough to understand the significance of this day I will help them understand, but it will not be easy for them to grasp the severity of the events and what it did to the American Spirit that followed. I can only hope that I will be ready for this discussion when the time comes.

So my question for the day?

 

    • What are your memories of this event in our collective history?

 

    • How will you tell your children about this event in the future?
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Tuesday Talking – Being One Of The Forgotten

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TuesdayTalkingIn a past article that I wrote about the song “Remember Me” by Mark Shultz, I talked about my struggle with knowing what I should do to make a difference and to not be forgotten and be remembered. Since I wrote that article I started thinking more about those individuals who are forgotten or as what I would say have been forgotten.

remember

Who am I talking about? I see these people every Tuesday at my weekly Rotary meeting. You see we meet at a senior living facility, and unfortunately I see in the eyes of many of the residents a loss, or a sadness that has set in. Though I am making some assumptions in this case, I would say that many of them do not see their families much. I can say this from experience in some of the people that lived in other facilities that I had frequented in my past. Many of these aging people did have friendships, but in my conversations with them, they yearned for more contact and conversation. They had family, but their family was not there often, leaving them alone to their memories.

remember

The more conversations that I seem to have with these people the more I think that though I know I will get older, I dread the idea of becoming one of the forgotten. I hope that I am able to instill in my own children the responsibility to stay connected with their parents.

My Question for the Day?

  1. What about you? What experiences have you had with “the forgotten”? How will you instill in others the importance of not forgetting those around you?


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9-11 – Honoring the past. Where were you 13 years ago? #dadchat

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9-11

 

9-11 – Honoring the past. Where were you 13 years ago?

I think that for most of us we can all remember the moments that surrounded the 9/11 tragedy that struck our nation 13 years ago.

 

I remember where I was… I was in the my office at the university that I was working at as a Student Affairs Professional. I believe it was J-Mom who called me and told me to turn on the radio because it looked like a plane had collided with one of the twin towers. Unbeknownst to us was all the malice that was behind the first attack, let alone the subsequent attacks within New York City as well as the Pentagon and in Pennsylvania.

 

I remember hearing this and calling my colleagues to fins a television that we could turn on and we watched in our main office as the tragedy revealed itself. I was numb, dumbstruck. Only once before had I felt this way, and that was when the Space Shuttle Challenger exploded. I simply had never witnessed such hatred, such a loss of life and later that week we found out how close to home this hit our family.

 

The Saturday before 9/11  J-Mom and I celebrated the wedding of a high school friend of J-Mom. The wedding was a wonderful event full of love and laughter. At that event I was able to meet a friend of the bride named Kelly Ann Booms who sat in front of us during the wedding. She made a comment that she had to get back to Boston on Sunday because she had a business trip that she had to fly out for (to Los Angeles) early on Tuesday morning (9/11). Later that week we found out that Kelly was a passenger on the first plane that hit Tower 1 (Flight 11). We were shocked that someone we just spoke with could be gone in an instant and it brought the national tragedy to a whole new level of meaning. We now felt a part of this tragedy and not as far removed.

 

The images of the first few hours of 9-11, the first few days afterward still are burned into my memory and I think they will never leave. For my generation, I think that this even will be the event that truly defines our generation as it may have been Pearl Harbor for my grandparents of the JFK assassination of JFK for my own parents.

 

So today, 12 years later I take a moment to remember Kelly and the other victims of the 9/11 attacks. May we never again live through such an event.

When my daughters get old enough to understand the significance of this day I will help them understand, but it will not be easy for the to grasp the severity of the events and what it did to the American Spirit that followed. I can only hope that I will be ready for this discussion when the time comes.

So my question for the day?

 

    • What are your memories of this event in our collective history?

 

    • How will you tell your children about this event in the future?

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Manival #13 – Aging Before You Are Old

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Thinking about my post from the other day, Being One of The Forgotten, I started to also think about the aches and pains that I have begun to feel within my body, even now that I am not too old.

Now I know I am not hearing any sympathy out there, but lately I have been starting to feel my age, especially in my hands and arms. Some people might think it was something like carpal tunnel or (I can’t say the word) arthritis. Others (J-Mom) included may say that it hs something to do with over use of the computer. I on’t know, but have noticed that lately after typing I have been feeling a lot of pain in my hands and forearms.

I had this checked out by a doctor, but to no avail and to no satisfaction of my own. (I was basically told to take 3 Ibuprofrin 3X daily). Well…to me that doesn’t seem to answer any questions!

I know that there are many others out there that are far worse off than I, but it is a bit sad to think that being in your early 30’s you can still feel old at a young age.

As my grandfather once told me, “Getting Old Sucks!” I always have remembered this, and have vowed that I will do whatever I can to keep my body young as long as I can. Not only for me, but for my family’s sake!

So my question for the day:

– Have you felt this way? What have you done to keep yourself young?


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Maniverse #11 – Remember Me

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I heard a song the other day by Mark Shultz (A Christian Music Artist) named “Remember Me”. (If you don’t know the song, take a listen below – and you can practice reading Spanish)

The context of the song made me think about what I can do to make my family, friends, community, country and maybe even the world to remember who I was.

I have always tried my best to make a difference in the world around me, Ever since high school I have been a volunteer, Rotarian, and humanitarian. I have tried my best to raise money for worthy causes and have worked to be an educator to the people I encounter.

At times I have to wonder what makes a person remembered. Is it the legacy that they leave behind in their children, the money accumulate or their philanthropy, the people they serve or touch in their existence? Is it the large grandiose gestures, or the small, seemingly meaningless ones?

Over at Our Crooked Tree, a celebration of a 100th post, just occurred and with this she decided to talk about 100 things about her and one of them made me think again about this topic. She mentioned that she wished to write a book someday. Thinking about this, I guess there will be some who may remember me due to the publications that I have written. Yes, I can honestly say that I am an author, but no, most of you will never read it unless you are in the field of student affairs or are in college administration. I also have my dissertation published (I don’t know how many have actually read it besides J-Mom, and my Dad and Mom (pasts of it at least)). So will this make me remembered… I would probably say no, but the relationships I made in writing the book will make me remembered.

I think this is part of it…I think you have to put yourself out there and be willing to take a chance. Take a chance on people, take a chance on getting to know others, networking and being there when they need you. I tell you blogging has opened up a world of new people to me outside of my business network and it has been great! I know that taking this leap for some is not easy. Opening yourself and trusting the people you meet takes time – take the time and get started! Your listening ear may make a difference to someone else.

I guess for me, I will continue to do what I can to make a difference. In my thoughts, making a difference is contextual and carries an individual definition that only you can know. So what is important in my mind is making a difference in the lives of the people around me, but also those less fortunate.

So my questions for the day…

– What will you do or have you done to be remembered?
– What does making a difference mean to you?

I look forward to your thoughts and comments!


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