Writing on 9/11 + 10 years

I was thinking about the topic of 9/11 due to all the media coverage of the 10th anniversary.  I remember being in bed, sick, on 9/11/2001.  The time that has passed seems to have been literally the blink of an eye.  Since that day when I was 17 until now that I'm 27, I feel as if I've grown so much as a person, but also that so much in the world has changed.  It's hard to quantify and express what I feel like has changed but I can feel in my heart that many things have changed both within my life and also in my environment.

In these past 10 years...

As I write these words, the weight of the time passed seems to suddenly hit me more.  In 2001, I was planning a SGI-USA peace festival.  In 2011, I am a Zone YMD leader.  In 2001, I had started my first month of Senior year in High School.  In 2011, I have finished my last day of work and have been preparing for life as a grad student.

In the next 10 years...

As of yet, I don't know.  What the course of my next ten years will be is obscured; however, the image that was there before was even more obscure!  The challenge is to fight where I am as best as I can.  In 2021, where will my life be? Where will my country be?  I am going to be working and contributing in a significant way to the propagation of the buddhist humanist ideals that I share with my mentor.  I am going to be a father.  The US is going to be in the forefront of efforts for a peaceful world.  My family is going to be united and joyful.  These things will be a thing of wonder but with friends in-faith and a correct guide, I am certain to see the day.

Today, I met with my Zone to plan for our future activities.  Discussion centered on what to do for our Zone 11/28 celebration.  We've come up with some tentative plans.  Want to discuss more and unite in our daimoku toward this event.  Feeling the need to chant more determined and serious daimoku right now as we start the movement toward this event.

Afterward, the West Territory Soka Spirit team had a videoconference to encourage and kick-off our daimoku, study, and disassociation efforts toward 11/28.  I was amazed by the quality of the call! United disciples are a powerful force for justice!

Then went to visit the Plaza to commence work on a LGBT Group It Gets Better video.  I am lax for having it let sit until now to start work on it; however, I want to finish it as soon as I can so that we can encourage as many people to attend the LGBT Group FNCC Conference in 2012.

Later, I got to hang out one more time with my buddy from 2006 before she returns back to Japan.  I love my Class of 2006; I think we're all social people who are probably one of the most social of the founding classes.  Got to talk with other people as well and was able to see that it's so important to trust your daimoku about your mission, honestly, that will only reveal it self until later, but the spirit to never give up is key!  Tomorrow hope to spend time talking more with others that are around right now to catch up and share, hear, and make a new departure toward the end of the year together with them.

Fighting away a cold right now and am doing my best to not overwhelm myself with stuff.  On my plate still is resumes for paid internships, transcribing the raw video for the IGBP video, and an LGBT Group meeting tomorrow.  Fighting side by side with my mentor right now, learning to create unity and strength!