We Remember Raising the Barr Weekly Memo: Issue 297

September 11, 2001. I had brought my entire team to Las Vegas for a leadership growth experience that concluded that fateful morning. We arrived at the airport only to learn the horror of tragic events that had transpired only moments before our arrival. The impact of that event changed the life of every American and surely citizen of the world that day. We scrambled, trying to find flights only to learn that every outbound flight had been canceled. We tried to rent a van to drive cross country but every vehicle, large and small at the Las Vegas rental counters were taken. Our last hope was the Greyhound Bus and by sheer luck there were a few seats available. We began our journey home.

Over a period of days, with many, many stops along the way until Cleveland, we sat together, each of us pondering, alone in our thoughts and sometimes aloud, how our world was forever changed that day. We voiced our grief over the immense loss of life and how in an instant, a life can be snuffed out or just as easily, enter this world. The answers would eventually come, but the understanding of the event might not.

During this season of repentance and forgiveness, I’m afforded the time to improve my thoughts and my actions with renewed purpose. Each day is a new opportunity to protect this great planet, its citizens and work towards peace. My message this day is simple: continue to work for the day when we are together and at peace. If we each do a little, one by one, then in groups, we grow into a great force. On September 11, 2001, I realized how precious life is and how quickly it all changed.

Counting on each of us to bring out and be the change for good in our world.