My 9/11: and what it taught me about my fitness.

Posted by Maria Kang on September 11, 2007

On September 11, the strongest nation in the world attacked by human bodies inside commercial airlines…and then our whole world changed.

I was staying with my parents during summer break and was working as a first-time trainer (my goal that summer was to become a kick boxing instructor, instead I became a trainer!) I was 20 years old completing my double majors in International Relations, Asian History, and minor in Political Science at UC Davis. One of my favorite classes earlier that Spring was, “US National Security” class. For our ‘big paper’ of the semester, the professor asked us to write an essay on what we feel was the biggest threat to our national security. MOST people chose 2 topics: China and National Missile Defense.

After pondering about what I felt in my heart to be the biggest threat, I was one of a handful of people who chose to write about Islamic Fundamentalists. It was a difficult topic to choose, (since the other 2 popular topics had tons of current research/articles/information on) but I felt my convictions and I followed through on those instincts.

It was difficult to research my thesis: “Islamic Fundamentalists and their terrorist threat to our US National Security”.

1) I had to study Middle Eastern History (btw: if you haven’t noticed, history classes should be focuses less on Europe and U.S. and more on other nations such as China and the Middle East) The last time my public education taught me anything about that region was when I read about Mesopotamia in 6th grade.

2) I had to study the Muslim religion. Again, this was challenging since no other topic needed to study the ‘mind’ and beliefs of the people causing potential attacks to occur. Other students used diagrams, stats and political power as their indicators. While I feel all religions have their zealots, my studies in recent events were showing that attacks from that specific group of people were increasingly happening more often and more disastrous.

3) I had to study our politics in the Middle Eastern region. Not many people know of what American’s role is in that area of the Islamic world. Not many people know of the history of Israel even the history of Operation Desert Storm. Does anyone remember that war?!!

It was an interesting journey and after 21 books, 48 footnotes and 19 pages I concluded that: “The biggest threat to our national security was a terrorist attack by Islamic Fundamentalists. It is going to happen big and it will happen soon.”

So as I watched the 2nd plane dive into the twin tower I stood agaped in a paradoxical feeling of shock but not surprise.

Today as we continue to mourn and respect the lives of those lost in that event – let us all unite in that shared human emotion of pain and loss. Let us all pray to not become angry (as we have been) about the event, and instead realize that at any moment we can die and that we must be prepared for ‘what’s next.’ Lastly, let us all recognize the gifts we are given today. These gifts are in the form of our friends, our job, our house, our mates, our pets, our nation, our president…and our body.

I dedicate my workouts to things that inspire me all the time. Today, I dedicate my workout to all those who were effected by the 9/11 events…
I thank God I’m still alive.
I thank God there are soldiers in this country fighting for my freedom.
I thank God I still have a body that is mobile and agile.
I thank God I have a CHOICE to make progressive actions towards future gains.

Thank God and Thank those who are extensions to your life cause by training a body that deserves the gift of movement. Provide your body with a nutritious meal and clean water. Sweat out your toxins and be in communion with yourself.

Today is a day of celebration….not sadness of death. Each event in our lives teach us a lesson we must use and carry forward with. We cannot change the past, we cannot continue this cycle of anger, and we cannot protect ourselves from the mortality of ourselves.

We will all die one day. However, I personally would rather die getting hit by a bus than struggle 20+ years of my life with heart disease, diabetes, high blood and lack of energy. More importantly, I would rather die knowing that I lived each day with full awareness, with understanding of choice and with the power and strength of my physical and personal will to make my dreams mine.

Live today. Revere your body today.

We are all matters of energy – and energy of matters. All that existed in physical form still exists in spiritual form. Let’s gather the energy created in the events of 9/11 and use it towards a productive direction. The biggest energy I hope we receive is forgiveness and gratitude.

Fitness Cure