Diving Deeper on the Anniversary of 9/11

I was a radio DJ, and now I make videos about playing in Nevada – but I’m also a thoughtful guy. A man of faith who enjoys pondering deeper issues from time to time.

It was 22 years ago as of this writing. I remember it like it was yesterday. Some weren’t even born yet or are too young to have any meaningful memory of it. That seems odd to me because the day is so clear in my mind. I was on the radio, hosting a music show – broadcasting around the country and the world via Armed Forces radio. My audience and I went from enjoying tunes together to wondering if our world was about to change forever. Little did we know.

In 2012, I interviewed the last survivor to be rescued from the demolished World Trade Center. Genelle Guzman-McMillan wrote "Angel in the Rubble", her personal story of 27 hours spent trapped in a WTC building that collapsed with her inside of it. You can hear my chat with her at jeffyoung.com.

Buried under tons of concrete, Genelle prayed for a sign from God that He was there and would give her a second chance to live her life more in line with His will for her. Suddenly, she was grabbed by the hand - in pitch darkness. A man who called himself Paul spoke to her and assured her she would be OK. Nobody saw Paul before that day or since. Draw your own conclusions.

We live in perilous times. It gets crazier every day. There is a lot to think about and a lot to decide. What do we focus on?

I don’t pretend to understand it all, but I have seen and felt evidence of something much bigger than us. Genelle sure did in that collapsed tower.

Work and recreational activity are important. So is time for personal reflection. Some of us are so busy with daily activities that we forget to pause and reflect occasionally. To try to figure out what's really going on in the political arena - despite what people would have us believe – and how our connection with a higher power - or lack of it - might affect us day-to-day.

Don't be afraid to discuss these things with friends or loved ones if you get the chance. Not to argue for arguments sake. Of course, some strong discussion is natural as we attempt to reach conclusions - if only tentatively - but try to avoid breaking up families or relationships over it. Life is too precious and short to simply discard friends or loved ones we're not seeing eye-to-eye with. Don't be afraid to change your mind or to admit that you did. Some of the wisest, most successful people who ever lived allowed their thinking to evolve over time and said so.

It's OK if you and your friends or family members can’t come to a meeting of the minds right away. Maybe say something to the effect of “Look, I don’t know – maybe I’m wrong but this is how I feel right now. I may see it differently at some point. I'll think about it.” Then, take a break. If you want to, you could use your time staring at a slot machine screen to think those deep thoughts and see if you can work it all out in your own mind. Maybe there are some things we'll never fully understand. Then again, maybe we will. Just don't let jumping to conclusions be your only form of exercise.

Thanks for reading.

Send comments to jeff@NevadaPlayersClub.com.

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