Twenty years later, do you still remember the moment that changed your life forever? I still do and although at times it seems like a lifetime ago, other times it feels like just yesterday - Remembrance 9/11 - My Wakeup Call | Cook With Zee. The image all over the internet of a man in a suit falling to his death is forever etched in my memory just like the images of patients on ventilators are ingrained in so many with the current environment.
Three lessons I have learned from 9/11 remains with me today which ironically is what made navigating the pandemic more bearable for me.
Lesson #1 – Explore your “own backyard”
Instead of taking for granted what others pay to travel to
see, I have been exploring what was in my own backyard these past 20 years with
day trips, many of which became annual, to Napa Valley, Point Reyes, Santa Cruz,
Monterey Bay, weekend getaways down the Central Coast to Pismo Beach and San
Luis Obispo, up the other direction to Mendocino, Lake Tahoe, and more, hence,
my aptly named travel blog, Around
the Bay and Away. Others found themselves
having to do the same last year when travel was uncertain or limited and I hope
gained a renewed appreciation for what is in their own backyard.
Lesson #2 – Travel Through Food
I have always been a Traveler who “Travel for Food” consistently
remaining as my Yelp tagline for 15 years, seeking out what that region or
country is known for and then bringing those tastes home. It is
not unusual to load my luggage with specialty food items or ingredients so I
can evoke those memories and residual happiness at any time, hence why my Cook With Zee blog reflects so many
different cuisines reminiscent of a place visited or one I would like to
experience one day. When Americans were
not welcomed by most countries nor were most of us comfortable to get on a
plane last year, many learned what has been second nature to me, traveling
through food from our own homes.
Lessons #3 – Experiences, not
Electronics
Holidays with family were ones I never took for
granted. Past Thanksgiving posts always
touted no shopping on Thanksgiving, family over a cheap TV. Christmas posts showed me chasing lights and
decorations vs. a sale. Last year,
everyone else realized those holidays with family needed to be cherished, not
taken for granted and that it is the experiences that give you the long-lasting
memory, not the latest iPhone. With so
many like the Fairmont Gingerbread House, Westin Sugar Castles, Deacon Dave’s,
Widmer’s World, Rombeiro Christmas House and many others cancelled, I am
grateful for all those previous years where I got to experience it on repeat,
leaving me with no regrets and very little change even when stay at home orders
were reinstated.
Both 9/11 and this current pandemic is a reminder that nothing is permanent, the people in your lives, restaurants, the sites, parks, landmarks and the list can go on. Do not take the present for granted because it is called present for a reason, it truly is a gift. On the 20th anniversary of 9/11, hold your loved ones close, support and eat at your favorite restaurant, explore a national park, walk, bike, or drive across the Golden Gate Bridge. Just remember to do so with respect so that 20 years from now, the lessons from this pandemic made us better people.
