We will never forget

Tuesday, September 11th, 2001. With fifteen-minute intervals two planes smash into the World Trade Center in Manhattan, New York. More than 3,000 people lost their lives in a vicious attack on the USA.

It was the morning of September 11, 2001 and I was sitting in a classroom listening intently to my teacher talk about Hamlet. We all watched as the VP walked into our classroom very briskly.

She whispered a few words to the teacher and we all gazed amongst one another in curiousity at the reaction from our teachers face. She was suddenly pale and with an afflicted look on her face.

She then composed her herself and quietly said, "We need to head over to the cafeteria and watch the news."

Puzzled and nervous, we all hurried to the cafeteria where many students and teachers were gathered together watching the different screens sprawled throughout the cafeteria.

We all watched the chaos with fear in our eyes after the first plane had already hit tower #1. Little did we know another plane was heading for tower #2.  

I have friends and family that live and work in the vicinity of the Twin Towers. I knew that I just had to call my mom and to be expected the phone lines were haywire.

This is a very special day for all people alike -- whether you are American, Canadian, European, Asian, this affected everyone.

The 9/11 attacks touched the hearts of hundreds of millions of people around the world who watched the events of that day as they unfolded. The pictures and sounds of a city in turmoil, and a sense of the grief that had been visited upon thousands and thousands of individuals and families who lost loved ones that day, all left an indelible mark.

Where were you when the planes crashed into the World Trade Center a decade ago today? What went through your mind on that day? 

We tend to only remember things that have an emotional impact on us rather than an intellectual one. However, we too often ignore the power of emotions and regard ourselves as a purely intellectual creature. We are far from that. Emotions drive our behaviors, habits, beliefs, and what I am talking about is memory. Emotions can profoundly shape us. They are not always bad. They can help shape us to do and to feel and to think good things. I hope all of you can look at emotions as a good thing. Close your eyes for a moment and think of a good time in your past.

Let us never forget the events of 9.11 and hug tightly to those we love. Tell them everyday you love them. 

Life is too short.

My thoughts and prayers go out to those that lost their lives in this tragedy and all the families, friends, people that were affected by this.

God bless.