September 11th!

I can still remember the day. I am more that is true for almost anyone that was in the USA (and outside) on that day. I was at the gym (yes, those were the days) in the morning in the same building I worked, and was already running late up to work. I was sitting at a meeting and a colleague got a call on the cell-phone and mentioned the State building was on fire. I really thought nothing of it, I assumed it was some electrical fire in the State building in Boston. Then as news poured in we all sat shell-shocked. No-one spoke or could function.

My manager pulled up his radio, a rarity in an office of software engineers, and we listened in a drone-like state of unbelievable news after news of the building falling. The fact that 2 of the 4 planes left from Boston chilled me to the bone, especially since I had been on a plane a week earlier to see my then fiancée, my now husband , who lived in DC. And then to give me further shivers news was one flight had gone down at the Pentagon area. The phone lines were brought to a stand-still and it was several hours later before I was reassured hearing his voice. A voice that many could not hear from their loved ones who had fallen that day.

This was not supposed to happen here. I mean I came straight out of the embers of South Africa’s riots and it took me forever to finally realize I could sleep safe in a place without burglar bars. It rocked my world to realize nowhere is safe, and nothing is forever. Another reason to cherish the here, the now!