We all remember where we were and the events of September 11th, 2001.  Though not dramatic, the following is my story.  I invite you to share your story as well in the comments section.

I drove to work that morning thinking it was just another day at a job I couldn’t stand.  I was a manager in a call center.  The people on my team were wonderful but the leadership was directionless and lacked people skills.  Each day I prayed for strength to make it through another day until God opened up the next door.

A person named Jason said, “Hey Brian, did you hear that a plane hit the World Trade Center?”  I thought, “What idiot flying a Cessna lost his bearings and hit the Trade Center?”  Shortly thereafter, we got word a 2nd plane had hit the other tower and we all knew something very serious was happening.

Phone calls to and from friends and family members began sweeping through the building.  Panic was beginning to ensue.

The IT Department located on the opposite end of the building rolled a 26″ television into the conference room where approximately 70 people packed in and began watching the coverage.

Several employees became extremely concerned as they had loved ones in the area.  A single lady in her mid-20s named Carrie began crying uncontrollably because she had a family member who worked in the WTC.  I went to the Director and said, “We’ve got to send these people home.”  I wanted to go home.

As planes crashed in Pennsylvania and at the Pentagon, we were all scared.  “What target is next?  How many planes are going to be hi-jacked?  When will this stop?”  This was heard over and over again.  Looking back, there is no telling how many thousands of lives were saved by President Bush immediately grounding all air traffic.

My Director came back to me and said, “Bill (not our company president’s real name but I don’t want to speak bad about him) said people can’t go home.  He wants everyone to go back to work.  There’s nothing they can do.”  I hate to say this but I never respected him again.

I had to get out of the building.  I went out and got some lunch at a restaurant that was normally packed.  I was the only customer there.

We finally all went home about 2:00 PM.

Earlier in the day, my wife was in Chattanooga at Precept Ministries studying Joshua chapter 1 under Kay Arthur.  They were doing their work when the Precept’s receptionist came into the studio and told them America had been attacked.  How fitting that the Lord tells Joshua to be strong and very courageous in that chapter.  America would need those qualities.

My mother-in-law was keeping my soon-to-be 3-year-old daughter that morning.  My wife called her and said, “Don’t let her watch the TV.”

The towers being on fire and subsequently collapsing was simply surreal.  No one could believe it.  The images of the horror and loss of human life created intense anger in everyone I talked to.  I’ve never lost that anger.  A piece of it still resides inside of me.  It’s a personal choice but when looking back I don’t understand why some care about the rights of terrorists.  

Everyone was amazed, humbled, and in awe at the bravery of the New York police and fire departments.  We still are.

Congress stood on the Capitol steps and sang “God Bless America”.  That level of unity and civility soon left and we haven’t seen it since.  Sad.

I remember Todd Beamer and the others on United Airlines Flight 93 were the first Americans to fight back.

I remember all our neighbors congregating in the cul-de-sac as we tried to comfort each other.  We’ve been comforting each other ever since.

That’s my story.  Feel free to share your’s as well.

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