New York State of Mind: Lessons on Self & Country

photo by sophie takes pictures

Today I have two very different works to share with you. One--a poignant essay about self, the other--a moving photo essay dedicated to a greater purpose.

On Being Nothing by  Brian Jay Stanley, The New York Times

This thought provoking essay gives meaning to our individual need for self affirmation.

"If the world is a stage, then everyone’s an extra, acting minor roles in simultaneous scenes in which no one has the lead. With so much happening, society is poorly made to satisfy pride, but well made to satisfy interest, if we will only let go of our vanity and join the swirl of activity."

The Heroes of Ground Zero by Ron Beinner, Vanity Fair

This pieces combines moving photographs with equally poignant text.

"The firefighters and police officers who risked everything; the rescue workers who came from hundreds of miles away; the families who grieve; the leaders who rallied a shell-shocked city; the vigil keepers whose candles lit the night: These are among the images that will endure. This is the New York—and the America—worth fighting for, one not of skyscrapers, but of people."