dust, and twisted metal—it’s simply indescribable.
What many Americans didn’t realize is that for many months people worked diligently to clean up the site.
Many were New York City firefighters and other city workers. Others were volunteers. They worked around the
clock, seven days a week. And when they came across the remains of someone in the rubble, they called for
silence and reverently carried them out.
Since I am a clergyman, I was asked to wear a clerical collar upon entering the area. As I walked around,
many workers saw the collar and asked me to pray for them. It was a humbling privilege.
American educator Horace Mann said, “Be ashamed to die until you have won some victory for humanity.”
According to this standard, New York City’s firefighters are certainly prepared for death. The service they
perform is often truly heroic. You and I may never be required to lay down our lives for others, as they did. But
we can give to others in different ways. We can be unselfish thinkers who put others first and add value to their
lives. We can work with them so that they go farther than they thought possible.Thinking QuestionAm I continually considering others and their journey in order to think with maximum
collaboration?