September 11, 2001 was one of those days I’d reluctantly dragged myself out of bed, grudgingly and trembled at the thought of another long accounting meeting with Yonkers partners from Healthcare Business Resources. Not so fun! especially when auditing aged A/R and reviewing cash balancing report was the goal of the day! My mind was focused on two things: ‘Lunch with my team members at Chillis down the road and the baby-bump I was still trying to hide!

But, 300 miles away, tragedy and despair was lurking at the corners of the earth. A group of terrorists had hijacked four planes, crashed 2 planes on purpose into the World Trade Center towers in NY, soon after they ‘d smashed a third plane into Pentagon in Arlington Virginia. And close to home, only about 80 miles away – a fourth plane was stopped, but crashed into a field in Pennsylvania.

The tragic events of that day left many people dead and injured. The twin towers were completely destroyed, and their collapse caused damages many blocks away. An entire section of the Pentagon was destroyed as well. In Pennsylvania, the National Park created a memoriam; a garden of wildflower in the spot where the plane crashed and the victims were buried.

There was a media blitz, an arena of confusion, turbulence and commotion everywhere you turn to! My supposed-accounting meeting was immediately cancelled amidst confusion and anxiety of what next to do? How to help? Where to go? Who to call? When to go?

Tonight, as New York turns on the many bright lights that shine into the night sky where the world center towers once stood. Today, at the Pentagon as military officials hold a wreath-laying ceremony. This moment in Pennsylvania – close to home; as people ring two bells called “The Bells of Remembrance” at the exact time the plane crashed, I pray that, we the observers alive today, reading and giving the stories will appreciate life, no matter what challenges we are facing right now, it is very important that we never forget what happened, the people who died, the people who became heroes, and those that are still mourning loved ones lost.

Always Remember…

Yinka