Where were you when....

It is a sad observation that every generation (or possibly every other generation) has one horrific day that as a society we join in sharing as a common memory.

I.e.  Where were you when you heard about Pearl Harbor?

Where were you when you heard about the Kennedy Assassination?

And for our generation (or mine), where were you when you heard about 9/11?

To answer that I was in a office and someone said a plane flew into the World Trade Center.  At first I didn't believe it, thinking she was referring to a single or twin engine plane hitting it accidentlaly, and how do you not see something like that.  Then I turned on the radio, and my heart constricted in my throat.

On a personal level, my college roommate was in NY, working in Tribeca for a production company.  I didn't know it at the time but because she had worked 20 days straight, she had the day off.   Regardless, well you can imagine my panic.  No work got done that day, or not much.   Though my employer tried, we were ordered to turn off radios etc and get back to work, which left a bad taste in my mouth.

But not as bad as was what to follow:

( The Taliban isn't the only one who uses 'religion' for violence )

On my break I called my Dad and got more details (remember that we just had heresay at that point at work).  When I got off, I turned on the news for maybe 30 minutes and then I couldn't take it. 

2 days later, I got a call from my roomie that she was alright, physically. 

Of everything I watched, read and heard on the news, the thing that struck me the most was one in direct contrast to my employer's reaction.  The victims who were stuck in the Towers; the ones who in their last moments used the cell phones not to call for help but to call their spouses and families and say "I love you" one last time.

There is a lesson there, and a better one than my employer tried to teach.

So, to all the families that lost someone on that horrific day, to all the people who banded together to help one another but not hurt another, I wish to say.

Bless you and you are in all of our thoughts.