Take two: 9/11/2025
Ideas and inspiration for a life less ordinary.
September 11, 2025
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WORDS TO WONDER—Truth and Love Will Win
“When I despair, I remember that all through history the way of truth and love has always won. There have been tyrants and murderers, and for a time, they can seem invincible, but in the end, they always fall.”
— Mahatma Gandhi
Perspectives to Ponder
I try to live with intention—to see the good in people and the beauty in the world. But sometimes, the events happening in the world make that nearly impossible.
Iryna Zarutska was a 23-year-old Ukrainian refugee. She was stabbed to death by a stranger on a light rail train in Charlotte. There was no provocation, no encounter. Her murderer, seated behind her, simply stood up and attacked. Onlookers did nothing, and Iryna died alone on the floor of that train.
Yesterday, 31-year-old Charlie Kirk was assassinated while speaking on a college campus. He was a conservative political figure, and some who disagreed with him celebrated his death. Regardless of whether you agreed with his views, the fact that anyone would rejoice in his murder simply because of differing opinions is shocking and disturbing.
And today marks the 24th anniversary of the September 11 attacks. Thousands of lives were stolen in a single morning of horror.
These reminders are stark. They reveal what we’d rather ignore: there is evil in the world—so pervasive and brazen that it feels suffocating.
In moments like this, it’s easy to despair and lose hope. The idea that goodness will triumph can seem naïve. And yet Gandhi’s words remind us: truth and love always win. History bears witness. Martin Luther King Jr. echoed this same conviction: “The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice.”
Both men spoke these words at great cost—both were assassinated by the very hatred they sought to overcome. Still, their conviction in love and justice remains a light to follow.
I cannot pretend I feel hopeful in this moment. But I know this: my desire to live fully—to pursue a life of purpose and meaning—remains. And that kind of life is only possible when it is rooted in love, purpose, kindness, tolerance, and grace—especially when the world feels overcome by hatred.
So here is the challenge: don’t surrender to despair, nor become indifferent to violence. Instead, let’s stubbornly live as if love still wins—because it does. Choose to respond to cruelty with compassion. Speak truth with grace. Stand firm in decency. Refuse to let hatred have the final word.
The world needs more people who live like that. Let’s be among them.
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LIFE LESSONS IN A LINE
An extraordinary life is impossible if you allow despair to write your story—but it flourishes when you choose to live with compassion, hope, and love.
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NOT-SO-ORDINARY FINDS
A Short Guide to a Happy Life – Anna Quindlen
In this brief but powerful 64-page book, Anna Quindlen reminds us that happiness isn’t found in achievements or possessions, but in noticing life as it is.
TED Talk: “The Art of Stillness” — Pico Iyer (15 minutes)
Travel writer Pico Iyer explores why the greatest adventure isn’t always moving faster or farther, but learning to be still.
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BEFORE YOU GO
Even in dark times, glimpses of beauty and kindness remind us that goodness still breaks through. May you notice those moments in the days ahead—and let them renew your resolve to live with compassion, hope, and love.
Stay inspired by the life you’re living. Until next time,
Kevin