So how does a diet and humor blog honor a very serious day? By remembering. This is a post written in 2008 – and we spend time reflecting over it each year on this day..

We remember that day and the aftermath. We remember all the people who lost their lives and we remember how the world mourned with our nation. We also remember how proud we were to see flags waving anywhere we looked by the morning of September 12th.

Shortly after the attacks the high rise that I worked in conducted an evacuation drill. We were to walk down thousands of stairs and get out. I happened to work on the 13th floor of the building. It was not easy thing, evacuating a high-rise. But I was young and fairly strong. On the way down I passed others who could barely complete the drill. Being out of shape or ill or older can make climbing down a skyscraper step-by-step a harrowing experience. I imagined what it would be like if it wasn’t a drill? What must it have been like in the stairways of the World Trade Center as the people navigated terror and smoke and thousands of stairs?

It was during the drill in my building that I realized health, exercise and even diet is about more than just size or vanity.  A commitment to health is a commitment to strength. I wanted to be healthy so I could better care for my family and I wanted to be ready so in an emergency firefighters wouldn’t have to risk their lives to get me out. They could save someone older or someone with mobility issues.  In a patriotic sense I wanted to be strong so I could lend a shoulder to lean on if god forbid, if the worst would happen in my town, building, or neighborhood.

By September 11th, 2002 I was strong and at a healthy weight, fueled by the events of the previous year. But over the next 5 years other things got in the way and my weight went up, my diet went off the charts, and I could no longer fit exercise into my rat race schedule. In short I forgot.

So here it is.. September 11th, 2008 and it is time to remember. The nation remembers what happened on that day, the aftermath, and all the victims. And personally it is a perfect time to remember how making a commitment to health and strength is not superficial but essential. Remind yourself that you owe it to your family to be healthy and remember how lucky you are to live in a free nation. Remember not to squander those freedoms.

And when you take that walk today or that jog remember how much joy it can bring and how families who lost someone on September 11, 2001 would love to simply take a walk.