Any event in our lives can change us, but some do so more profoundly than others.The events of 9/11 have reshaped the way we think. Children and adults alike have experienced a paradigm shift, a reformulation of our views on our world and each other. The brave people who defended us, who put our safety ahead of their own, are the ones who should really be the focus of this day of remembrance. Ultimately, it is they who revitalize our lives for the better through their selfless deeds.
The sacrifices of the police and firefighters on 9/11 were commemorated in a special way in Vancouver this year and in past years. My cousin Craig, now a Port Authority police officer and formerly an NYPD officer, was asked to represent the Port Authority at this ceremony. The video below shows him (at 13 seconds) . He is the tall, blond officer on the right. He also appears later in the one-minute video at the following link: 9/11 Ceremony in Vancouver Last Week
Vocabulary:
profoundly (adverb) -- deeply
reshaped (verb, past tense) -- changed, shaped again
paradigm shift (noun) -- a change in a way of thinking
reformulation (noun) -- a change or alteration
remembrance (noun) -- memory
revitalize (verb, present tense) -- bring to life in a new way
deeds (noun) -- acts
commemorated (verb, past tense) -- remembered, celebrated
ceremony (noun) -- special event
Vocabulary Exercise: Fill in the blanks with the correct vocabulary words.
1. The government officials at the _____________ in Vancouver _____________ the heroes.
2. A cemetery is where we pray for the dead. It is a place of ______________ .
3. The violence of 9/11 caused a ______________________, so now we see the world differently.
4. To make a change is ___________________.
5. The police officer was a good man and did many good __________.
6. Our lives were made different and new. They were _______________ and _________________.
Grammar Point: The prefix re- comes at the beginning of a word and means again. Find 3 examples of words with the prefix re- in the paragraphs above. Use each of the words in a new sentence.
