13 years ago I evacuated downtown Charlotte when it appeared the terrorists had targeted financial centers. The next few days were a somber reminder of not only how precious life is but how much we take for granted. My father was an airline pilot for United Airlines and had retired from flying 767/757s just a few years prior to the attacks, he easily could have been a pilot on one of those planes. I sat in a parking deck with Lewis Bennett watching the people stream out of the office buildings and we discussed what these attacks meant for the nation. There are moments in time that crystallize in your mind - previous generations had Pearl Harbor or the Moon Landing - for this generation this was it. For a brief time, we were all Americans who understood how lucky we are, how terrible the burden of freedom can be and how proud we are as a nation. In the following 13 years we have devolved back to who we are as a country, but it is comforting to know that in moments of great strife and pain we can come together, care for one another as human beings and lead the world in the fight for freedom for all people. This gives me hope for our future. Lets Roll
Posted on: Thu, 11 Sep 2014 14:13:14 +0000