there's a future in friendship

If again you are exposing yourself to the news and images of the suffering and death experienced on 9/11/2001, don’t forget to acknowledge the living. Through that horrible experience, you and I were saved a little suffering when Tom Napoles escaped. He has asthma you know, and if he’d known about the true nature of the incident, there’s a good chance he would have had an attack and rendered helpless.
If you don’t know Tom, then let my big mouth tell you that he’s a little guy with a big heart and you should know him. A friend from my military days, Tom and I go back about 14 years. I might be wrong, but I think his office with Guy Carpenter was on the 50th floor of the south tower (last hit, first fallen). Tom remains the office funny guy and probably won’t be caught living anywhere but near the world’s financial capital: New York City. Recently he married and will hopefully have kids by next year so I can win the bet.
Last year I hid from the anniversary of this day. Didn’t watch TV or listen to radio or read any papers. Didn’t even go online. This year I’m taking a different approach and offering a subtle reminder. This year I get to speak well about somebody while they’re still alive. I don’t think I do that enough, but there lies the silver lining. From this experience, I’m reminded to appreciate people and I’m given a second chance to practice that anytime I talk with anyone in the world–and every time I now talk with Thomas.
Call old Thomas today. Say hello, and into the face of the loss and nightmarish images, speak of the life that we share on Earth. It’s easy to be swept into the great sadness that prevails this day and that event of 2001, so tear a little hole in that sadness, renew a little hope and say hello to someone that is still very close to us, still very funny, and still very much alive.