What Would You Do?

Hearing about all of the disasters going on in the world and hearing the survivors stories makes you wonder what you would do in that sort of a situation. And you come up with a calm clear plan of action. But the truth is, thinking about a life threatening situation hypothetically in the comfort of your own home is so much different then actually living it. Because after the fact you have all of the information. But during the event there is so much confusion that normally you don't have to full story until its to late. I've heard these stories of people who refused to get on lifeboats when the Titanic was sinking because they thought there was no way something that grand and powerful could sink. The Titanic was so sturdy out on the ocean and the life boats that looked so small on the sea. But by the time they figured out that those rickety life boats were the only things that could save them, it was to late. And the great ship, the one people said was unsinkable, was going into the bowels of the Atlantic.

That's a lot like what people said about the Twin Towers. They were so tall and regal. A symbol of the modern world. Of progress. But being so massive so eye catching they were also a target. But on September 11th 2001 to most people they were offices. Until a shake that changed everything. Angel in the Rubble by Genelle Guzman-McMillan is about that day. To her, September 11th was just another work day. But after a string of events she ended up piled under the wreckage of the second tower for 27 hours. That's right 27 hours. And lived to write a memoir about it.

Genelle was raised religious but had fallen out of practice as the years went on and she moved to New York. But under the wreckage she found salvation in God. Obviously I am a religious person but in a different way then she is. Regardless it was still inspiring to read her story of survival. It was also heart breaking to learn about the people that would not make it out alive. You know going in what was going to happen, and though that there was no way all of the people escaping with her would make it out alive but being as hopeful as I am, reading Angel in the Rubble I hoped a miracle would happen and they would live.

Genelle promises that if she lives through this harrowing experience she would stop taking life for granted. Someone, and I forget who once said that "life was wasted on the living." And that is very true. Most of us take life for granted and sadly it normally takes a huge personal tragedy for people to realize how precious life is and how lucky we are to still be living it. I know that's what happened to me. The world is a beautiful place, even if it doesn't always seem that way. Put there is so much beauty around us if you were to just slow down and soak it in. So that is my challenge to you. Live each day like its your last. Because you never know when it might just be.