Remembering

It's an important day today. September 11. It's comforting in a way that I don't need to remind any American what happened on this day eight (8) years ago today. And a comfort that most Americans will hold this day in remembrance.

I don't doubt that almost everyone remembers where they were, what they were doing, what was going on at the time that they heard about the Twin Towers. I know that I will forever have that imprinted on my brain, just as many have the day the Challenger blew up, or the day John Lennon was shot forever imprinted on their brains. Not that I'm comparing Septemeber 11 to those days, but the reverberating shock does linger.

I was making ad sales calls. I had just left one call, jumped into my car and there it was on the radio . . . a plane had it one of the towers. I thought it was a joke at first - I really did. I actually couldn't believe what I was hearing. My next stop was Lowry State Bank. I popped into Bob's office, and shared what I had heard. "Apparently a plane hit one of the Twin Towers." He couldn't believe it.

It wasn't until I got to Starbuck, to the Starbuck Times, that I had reinforcement. They had heard. It was true. We all went next door to Tank's TV and Appliance, and proceeded to watch the entire thing on the 52-inch TV.

I was numb. I think we all were. How could this happen? What was going to happen? And then, the news of the hijacked planes. It was all so surreal.

The funny thing is, I don't remember what else happened that day, if anything significant. I can't imagine that a whole lot of work got done. But I will forever remember the exact place I was - in my red 1999 Pontiac Grand Am, when I heard the news for the first time.

To all the families of all those who were lost that day, and all the families of all those who have lost their lives since that day fighting for what many people believe to be "retaliation" . . . I will hold you in my heart. Forever.