You Did Enough: A Tribute to 9/11 Rescuers

Your heart was racing inside. All the debris. All the fear. All the hope you were so desperately still trying to hang onto. I know you had every intention of holding onto hope until the very end—until there was nothing left but the harsh reality that the people you fought so desperately to save were gone. 

And even then, you knew you wouldn’t want to accept it. Your greatest fear was that you wouldn’t be able to accept it—that you would always ask yourself “What if I had gotten there sooner, had done more, had been more? What if I had stayed longer, had worked faster, had dug deeper? What if I hadn’t been afraid—at times? What if…?”

These thoughts invaded your mind creating a premature ghost to haunt your heart even while you were still trying to rescue those you hoped to God remained alive. “I can’t think about that now,” you told yourself trying to cast out all fear and doubt as you continued to dig. “I’ve got work to do.”

You pressed on. You pressed forward until there was nothing left but you, fatigue and a voice that showed up inside you to make you feel as though you didn’t do enough.

Rest now, my brother. You did enough. You showed up and, whether you realized it or not, you allowed God to use you to your fullest extent for the sake of others. That’s always enough.

Excerpted from my book, "I Know How You Feel: Hope and Encouragement Even in Your Darkest Moments."