Superintendent’s Chat
Richard McClements,
If you recall on the morning of September 11, 2001, terrorists boarded a
plane hijacked it, killed the pilot, took over the cockpit, and were flying it
on course to Washington, DC., where they
intended to crash it into a major target, such as the White House, the Senate
Building, or the Pentagon. Aboard that plane were people who became
aware that other terrorists had already crashed planes into the
Those people on the plane knew that their plane had
been hijacked, and that they were going to die, but they also wanted their
remaining moments on earth to mean something.
A group of them decided to rush their captives, overpower them, and
crash the plane in the middle of nowhere so that innocent lives on the ground
would not be lost. One of those
individuals was Todd Beamer. He had been
on the cell phone with his wife. The
last words she heard him say were, “Let’s roll.” Those still listening on the cell phones from
across
I think of those people often and am so incredibly
grateful that they had the courage to do what they did. How many of us, knowing that we were going to
die, would place others first? How many
of us, knowing that we were going to die would instead just sit there in our
chairs and pout? Their story is just so inspiring.
Sometimes you find things written by others that are
so beautiful that you want to share them with others. The following is something I hope you cherish
and take the advice to heart and live those words every day. It was sent to me in an email.
Lisa Beamer, Todd’s wife
was recently on the TV show, “Good Morning America.” She
said it's the little things that she misses most about Todd, such as hearing
the garage door open as he came home, and her children running to meet him. She's now the mother of a beautiful little
girl, Mary. Lisa recalled this story:
I had a very special
teacher in high school many years ago whose husband died suddenly of a heart
attack. About a week after his death, she shared some of her insight with a
classroom of students. As the late afternoon sunlight came streaming in through
the classroom windows and the class was nearly over, she moved a few things
aside on the edge of her desk and sat down there. With a gentle look of
reflection on her face, she paused and said, ‘Class is over. I would like to
share with all of you, a thought that is unrelated to class, but which I feel
is very important. "Each of us is put here on earth to learn, share, love,
appreciate and give of ourselves. None of us knows when this fantastic
experience will end. It can be taken away at any moment. Perhaps this is the
Powers way of telling us that we must make the most out of every single
day." Her eyes beginning to water, she went on, "So I would like you
all to make me a promise. From now on, on your way to school, or on your way
home, find something beautiful to notice. It doesn't have to be something you
see, it could be a scent, perhaps of freshly baked bread wafting out of
someone's house, or it could be the sound of the breeze slightly rustling the
leaves in the trees, or the way the morning light catches one autumn leaf as it
falls gently to the ground. ‘Please look for these things, and cherish them.
For, although it may sound trite to some, these things are the 'stuff' of life.
The little things we are put here on earth to enjoy. The things we often take
for granted. We must make it important to notice them, for at anytime it can
all be taken away.’
The
class was completely quiet. We all picked up our books and filed out of the room
silently. That afternoon, I noticed more things on my way home from school than
I had that whole semester. Every once in
a while, I think of that teacher and remember what an impression she made on
all of us, and I try to appreciate all of those things that sometimes we all
overlook. Take notice of something special you see on your lunch hour today. Go
barefoot, or walk on the beach at sunset. Stop off on the way home tonight to
get a double dip ice cream cone. For as we get older, it's not the things we
did that we often regret, but the things we didn't do. Remember, life is not measured by the number
of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away.
Todd Beamer is one of my heroes. He never saw his daughter, Mary, for she was
born after his death. From what we know
of him, he was a wonderful son and husband with a strong sense of character. We never know when life will call upon us to
do something meaningful and which is well beyond what we think we are capable
of doing. We may never save