Remembering 9/11, In Memoriam
Like most my memory of 9/11 is as vivid as if it happened yesterday. Remembering those we lost on September 11, 2001. We will never forget.
Like most, I remember exactly where I was, who I was with, and what I was doing when I head the news.
Sydney, Australia. Little Bay to be precise, near the mouth of Botany Bay where Captain James Cook landed in April 1770.
It was a Tuesday, Stateside. I remember the day of the week clearly.
Wednesday (Australia being a day ahead of the U.S.) was a blur. Hitting refresh on the browser in the hope of hearing good news. The following week I spent my time checking in with friends and professional associates in the United States.
An acquaintance in Hollywood said that there would "never be an explosion in a film ever again." I figured that prophecy would be accurate for about a year.
A band I was managing at the time had their U.S. major label debut single release scheduled for that week. The band's name included the word "crash" and radio refused the play the song. The band refused the change their name. End of career.
Timing.
I met my future wife on that day. A surreal first meeting. Still married 19 years later.
Timing.
The only thing of true value we have, and the one thing we cannot control.
Timing.
I think a lot about the decisions we make, and the impact of timing. A travel delay heading to work in the office towers of New York. An offsite breakfast meeting. Working from home.
Most humans overestimate their skill and underappreiate timing in their success, and failure. Timing is everything. For 3,000 humans on Tuesday, September 11 2001, it was the difference between life and death.
In memoriam of those who perished on 9/11.
Clouds come from time to time -
and bring to men a chance to rest
from looking at the moon.
— Matsuo Bashō
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