There are my thoughts I posted back in 2014.
I will never forget the horror of that morning, watching a live TV feed as the second plane hit the second tower. Suddenly, all at once, I felt an complex emotion of great grief and sorrow with an intense sense of anger and the clear mission to protect my family from an uncertain and unseen enemy.
I will never forget the admiration I felt for the firefighters, who were running into what everyone else was running from. A sense of appreciation came over me with a tremendous burden to pray for them.
I will never forget the utter shock seen in the faces of the people in the streets of NYC, realizing that what they were witnessing was even worse than it appears on my TV screen.
I will never forget looking into the face of my dad, the eyes that I looked to my whole life for protection and confidence, and seeing initial uncertainty in this unprecedented moment. I remember thinking that this is probably what my kids are seeing in my eyes too. I will never forget talking with him through this moment, saying so much to each other in a very few but well chosen words that gave me confidence and resolve to stay strong.
I will never forget the feeling of hopelessness as I watched that first tower collapse, realizing that hundreds of people who were clinging to hope of a rescue, were now gone, in addition to the heroes who had responded to their aid.
I will never forget the realization as that day developed that our lives, and the lives of future generations would never be the same, changed forever by this infamous attack on our homeland.
I will never forget gathering around the TV that afternoon, holding my wife's hand and with little arms around my neck - both a little tighter than normal - as we watched the news develop before our eyes, realizing that I have so much to be thankful for and most of it was in the room with me at that moment.
I will never forget my 5 year old, looking curiously in my face at something he'd rarely seen, as tears of sadness flowed freely down my checks as I reflected on the thousands of lives and families forever altered in that instant of terrorist insanity.
I will never forget seeing the President a few days later, standing in the Oval Office fighting back tears, chin quivering with emotion as he spoke briefly to reporters, realizing how much of a burden he must feel at this moment. Seeing his emotion reminded my that he was a father before he was a president, and he had some of the same emotions I had about my family, and many more. I will never forget praying for him for strength and wisdom to guide our country, no matter my disagreements with his politics.
I will never forget tucking my sons into bed that night, lingering a little longer than normal, reflecting that hundreds of kids would never get have that experience ever again.
I will never forget September 11, 2001.