We will never forget--10 years after our lives changed forever

The time that changed our lives as we knew
it forever.  This was the time that the first plane struck
first World Trade Center

It all began as a beautiful, Tuesday in New York and across the country.  School was starting for some kids and everyone was going through their lives as they always did, worry-free from anything terrible happening in our country!  At 8:46 AM (EST)--our lives changed--forever.   For this was the moment that American Airlines Flight 11 struck World Trade Center 1 (the north tower).  At first when news reports came out, we all thought it was some small plane that got off course.  It wasn't until about 20 minutes later that United Flight 175 struck the second World Trade Center Building at 9:03 AM (EST).  We knew then, that this was a terrorist act and that our world, as we knew it, had changed.  In the quick moments that followed, at 9:33 AM (EST) another plane, American Flight 77 struck the Pentagon, killing 184 in the building and on the plane.  A fourth plane,  United Flight 93, was thought to be meant to strike either the White House or Capital Building, however, it landed in an open field in Pennsylvania at 10:03 AM (EST),  due the brave men and women on board that had gotten wind of problems happening across the country and tried to overtake the terrorists and change direction of the plane and forced it's landing in that open field.  Shortly after the twin towers were struck, they imploded and both came down, changing the landscape of the New York Skyline.  As a result, 2, 753 people were killed that day in New York City, many of which were first responders (Fireman and Policeman) who were just doing their job to help save people.  They were seen going into the building and heading up the stairs to help put the fire out on the floors high above and many were caught in the building when the towers fell. All in all,   2,977 people were killed --senselessly killed--innocent lives lost.

God Bless America

After the dust settled, in the debris, a flag was found and some fireman raised it in this iconic picture that resembles the Iwo Jima picture from World War II.  It gave America hope that we would pull through this and we would rebuild and we will be ok--in spite of this senseless act that was put upon us.  In the days and weeks that followed, America came together like never before.  We were a united nation.  Didn't matter if you were Republican or Democrat, we were all one and the main thing that we worked toward was fighting against this ever happening to us again.  Churches increased attendance, patriotism reached an all time high, people stopped and looked at their lives in a different way to ensure that they were living like it was their last.  People helped their neighbors and were determined to never forget this awful, hellish day that we experienced on
9-11-2001.  We were--UNDIVIDED then--too bad we've forgotten this over the past 10 years!

In the rubble--GOD showed up
and gave us Peace and Hope

Where was I that day?  I remember hearing about the plane hitting the first tower while I was on my way to work.  I was listening to JB and Sandy, my morning show of choice at the time, and heard this news.  Like many, I thought it was a small commuter plane that got off course.  I got to my desk, logged into my computer and got a phone call from a friend, who told me to get to the nearest TV...our world was falling apart.  Now, this friend is a bit dramatic, so I took it that he was just over reacting to something until, my co-worker, who was on a conference call heard people gasp and panic.  His mom called, scared and reaching out to her son, which forced us to immediately make our way to the break room to see what was happening.  I was working at First USA at the time and we were just buying time until that Friday, when we were closing our office and all of us were about to begin our severance due to our offices being closed.  The remainder of the day was spent in front of a TV, watching the news unfold, unbelieving what was happening, calling our families, scared for our future. We tried to make sense of what happened right before our eyes, on television and all the while knew that our world changed at 8:46 AM EST.

So, now, here we are 10 years later.Our lives changed forever--travel is not easy any longer, discrimination has existed with muslims and that carefree sense about us doesn't exist and never will again.  If it happened once, it could happen again and we are always on alert that whether big or small, we are never completely untouchable.
This day is still difficult for all of us to face. The TV shows have run documentary after documentary reminding us all of the events, "as they happened" that day.  And while I now know the outcome, it still doesn't mean I don't wish that we didn't have this happen to our naive lives.  Today, America isn't as united as it was that time, our political parties are at odds with one another, our economy is failing, our President isn't supported, we are fighting in a war that is quite controversial.  My hope is that the memory of this day, may bring people together again and may help all of us to think that we are better as one, than we are undivided.  After all, e plumbus unum--which means, out of many, one,  is on our money, our American Seal, our motto.  We are many and we need to be one.  I hope we can find that unity once again...we are too vulnerable not to have it that way!

Not much to smile, celebrate and love about today.  I'm grateful that I have freedom, I'm grateful that I have family and friends, I'm grateful, that for the most part, I'm safe and secure.  My heart and prayers continue going out to those that lost so much that horrible day, 10 years ago.  May God bless you all, and May God Bless America!

Thought for the day:   Psalms 46 Read today in a 9-11 Tribute by President Obama--very perfect for today and for all days:

Psalm 46^[a]

    For the director of music. Of the Sons of Korah. According to alamoth.^[b] A song.

   ¹ God is our refuge and strength,
   an ever-present help in trouble.
² Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way
   and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,
³ though its waters roar and foam
   and the mountains quake with their surging.^[c]

   ⁴ There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,
   the holy place where the Most High dwells.
⁵ God is within her, she will not fall;
   God will help her at break of day.
⁶ Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall;
   he lifts his voice, the earth melts.

   ⁷ The LORD Almighty is with us;
   the God of Jacob is our fortress.

   ⁸ Come and see what the LORD has done,
   the desolations he has brought on the earth.
⁹ He makes wars cease
   to the ends of the earth.
He breaks the bow and shatters the spear;
   he burns the shields^[d] with fire.
¹⁰ He says, “Be still, and know that I am God;
   I will be exalted among the nations,
   I will be exalted in the earth.”

   ¹¹ The LORD Almighty is with us; 

   the God of Jacob is our fortress.

Mom and I in 1993--my first trip to NYC
This was taken from the Statue of Liberty

September 1996
Jill and I on top of Tower 2 at the Observation
Deck of the World Trade Center.
This tower was struck second,
but fell within 30 minutes of being hit.

We will NOT Forget!