Dear friends, loved ones, family and those who are all of these,
Here we are again on the anniversary of the September 11th attacks in New York, Washington D.C. and for lack of any other place to name, Shanksville, PA. Each year since 2002, on this date I have sent an Email to the people that I love, who have been a joyous part of my life, to reconnect in some cases, and to express my gratitude for your presence in my life. I have sent this email to people who are a part of my life on a daily basis, people who I met once and people I have known for quite literally, my entire life. Whether I have known you as blood family or chosen family or friend, I want to take this opportunity to say how thankful and grateful I am for your presence in my life.
Whether you are a dear friend, or a brief acquaintance, you have been a shining addition to my life and I truly cherish you and thank you from the bottom of my heart.
The truest purpose of this missive is to try to recapture the feeling of the days after the towers fell. In the midst of chaos, loss, fear, and uncertainty, there was, it seemed, an instinctive, natural sense of connection, of reaching out to those around us. We became, through the tragedy of violence and loss, closer as a nation, as communities, as families and as friends. We pulled together, we reached out to friends, neighbors, even strangers. we were kinder than was necessary, we cared truly about those around us and, as I remember, we drew closer to one another.
I try, each year on this day, to remember how connected we felt in the days and weeks after the tragedy. To hold and cherish a small part of the closeness we all felt. To that purpose, I want to tell all of you who receive this (with apologies to those who receive it multiple times) how thankful I am for your presence in my life. If you are reading this, it is because at some point, you became a part of my life. However much or little we see each other is less important than the fact that my life is better for your presence in it.
I would love September 11th to become, at some point, not only a day of remembrance of those who were lost, but a day of reconnection and affirmation of the importance of each other in our lives. I encourage you to reach out to those you love and let them know how much they mean to you. I hope that the community of the days after the attacks will remain with you and that love and connection and community can be the legacy of those days.
I would love to hear from you all, and hope all is well with you. In the meantime thank you again for being a part of my life and thank those who are part of yours.

With love,
Richard