Some held hands as they jumped. Others went alone. Some later remarked that those who had fallen had made one brave final decision to take control of how they would perish.
For better or worse, I’ve distanced myself from all things 9/11 related but I randomly saw an intense clip of people jumping from the towers today and I began to sob unexpectedly (trust me this is not a normal occurrence, I can count on less than two hands the times I’ve cried post baby years). I imagined these people saying farewell, hugging, and accepting each other before taking an ultimate act of freedom.
During this rare emotional outbreak I couldn’t help but visualize one of the many planes I see from our top floor in Mountain View crashing into the building. It made me think about who I’m working with and the community we’re making in our space. Could I hold these people’s hands and jump?
Well, the answer is yes. I pray that the mentors, investors, and other supporters we bring together will truly empathize with the leaps our entrepreneurs are taking. They’re putting their lives on the line and daring to work on problems in the face of death’s failure.
500 Startups Blog 