Last week in New York on business I decided to take a quick stroll through Central Park between meetings. There is something magical about Central Park that makes me feel a little bit clearer whenever I am there. As I strolled through the park I kept thinking about how one moment, good or bad, can change the world forever. I had just finished a meeting at 888 7th Avenue and for 15 minutes my partner and I were detained by building security to have our pictures taken, visitor badges issued and then after a long call upstairs, we were cleared to enter the elevators. I remember being in NYC pre-9-11 and none of this security delay would have occurred. I was not the least bit upset but I realize how one tragedy changed the world. Airport security, building security, homeland security, you name it, they were all changed after 9-11 and this remains true 11 years later. However, I do believe that in many ways 9-11 brought our country closer together and to this day some of that still resonates even if we may lose sight of it in the heat of politics from time to time.
On Friday, December 14, 2012 in Connecticut, an unthinkable tragedy occurred. This cowardly act by a lower-than-pond scum forever nobody whose identity I have no reason to process or acknowledge shot up that school with those perfect, innocent children. When I think of my beautiful three sons, my amazing three nieces, or the perfect children of my friends and other families I love, I am truly flooded with tears. Yet I feel an overwhelming outpouring of love and a resolute attitude to not let this break me. Make no mistake about it this one tragic event–it has changed things forever. The question which remains is how it will change us as people.
Companies are reacting with panic in the shooting sports space, private equity groups are liquidating out of the firearms business. Anti-gun activists are up in arms, and unfortunately it feels all too familiar. Much like 9-11, this is a vicious test on us as people, a vicious test beyond words for the victims’ families and classmates. There will be a long nasty political war waged over this. Let us know this and accept this but most importantly as a universe of people we cannot be broken, and instead we should come together.
The fighting and the noise will always be there as long as politics exist. There will no doubt be changes which occur in schools, and around certain regulations, and I am going to surrender to this and simply spread the love. The people who do their jobs in Washington will have their fight, yet I am going with love as there is already too much FEAR out there. As we move through this holiday season and into the New Year, let us fully embrace that while one tragic moment can change the world, so can one positive moment in which we decide to band together and not be broken as people.
I wish you a happy healthy holiday season and a blessed new year. May 2013 mark the year of comeback for our country and a year of love in honor of those beautiful children, God bless their souls, God bless America!
