9/11

Written for Rebecca-Cenni Leventhal, CEO and Founder, Atrium

Downtown New York City has been my home for over 30 years. It's where I started my career, made lifelong friends, and discovered who I wanted to be.

And it's where my heart was broken, and my world was shattered on September 11, 2001.

That day lives so clearly in my mind.

I can still see the first responders racing down the street,

the inches of ash that flew in through the open windows to cover every surface of my apartment,

the cloud of smoke blocking the brilliant blue sky.

But more than anything, I remember the empathy.

In the shadow of the tragedy, every New Yorker, every American, responded with an outpouring of kindness.

Strangers went out of their way to care for one another, offer a helping hand, and give a shoulder to cry on.

9/11 taught us to love our neighbors and cherish our communities. It taught us what it meant to be American.

So much has changed in our world since that day, but as I look upon One World Trade Center from the windows of my home, I’m reminded of the power of compassion. Let today be a reminder to you, too, and an invitation to offer kindness to a stranger.