September 11, 2001 Remembrance

Far and Away Dr. Jorge Valverde  

I was in Chile when the terrorist attach took place and could not believe what I was watching on TV.  I cried alone in my hotel many times while watching the news. For a few days, I totally blocked out my consciousness the fact that Darren Heil worked in one of the buildings that were destroyed.  And that Emely Levy, another friend and a prominent young lawyer who just move to Manhattan to begin her career, perhaps worked in one of the Twin Towers.  Darren is one of my former tennis students who has been in contact with me for the last 10 or 11 years. Last week, before I left to Chile, he called and talked with me for 1.5 hrs. He shared his dreams with me about his new girlfriend, his job, and a book that he was requested to write about his experience as successful-young stockbroker in NY. He wanted to use some of my mental concepts in his book and asked if that would be OK with me...and as always, we talk about our families and how they were doing.  

My immediate reaction was a natural one: sadness, anger, confusion, and a concern for our safety.  Traveling back to the States was not an easy journey because there were many negative "ifs" in my mind, until I start thinking of some of the American symbols, like the eagle.  The United States chose the EAGLE as it's National Bird because it is the only bird that will fly in a storm.  So I thought, it's time to FLY AGAIN.  

Our heavy hearts right now do not preclude us from being strong.  I know that we all have heavy hearts. I find it difficult to focus and go back to work.  But we are EAGLES.  We must fly.  And we must fly with courage.  Good can come from evil because within a rotten fruit there is always a seed of hope.   We need to take the time to pray, meditate and think about our unimaginable losses. And then we need to take action.  We must work everyday harder than we ever have before. Starting our days with a renewed vigor, strengthening our mission for personal freedom with the larger quest for freedom for all.  

What we CAN DO RIGHT NOW is find it in our heart to serve the world with more enthusiasm and resolve than we ever believed possible.   

Our towers of hope must stay erect pointing to the sky. And our resolve souls must fly again through the storms of doubt, with a vision guide by the winds of faith. 

Only faith will keep our towers of hope intact, only faith will keep the fire away from burning our soul, only our faith would keep us cultivating gardens of love wherever we go, only our faith would allow us to forgive those that attend against our sanctuary, where our tender-inner child is, only our faith will allow us to continue in our journey regarding of the circumstances we face.  Like Darren Heil, Emely Levy and many others, life goes on.

Here is a PowerPoint presentation on the Russian monument & tribute to the fallen of the 9/11 attack.View Russia Honors USA

Jorge A. Valverde, Ph.D.
www.bmentallytough.com
Tel. (785) 979-1264
Fax (785) 865-0642
Tennis, a Celebration of Life.