This morning, I watched some of the "live news" replay of 9-11. My wife just happened to be in NYC on 9-11-01 for work, although about 25 blocks away from the WTC and she was never in danger, other than being scared blankless.
I got a pit in my stomach reliving that day and the memory of trying to get ahold of her on the phone. In the end, my wife was safe and sound. Shaken, and she lost a few work people she knew that worked in the WTC, but she was safe.
But today, raise a glass in salute and rememberance for the 1000's of families whose loved ones didn't come home on 9-11 and to all those brave first responders who ran towards the smoke and flames and horror, instead of doing the instinctual thing of running away from the danger. Then raise it for the brave folks that fought back on the hijacked planes and likely saved the Capital Building in DC. And then raise it again for all the brave men and women who served and gave much or all, in all the conflicts post 9-11.