Close to home

Several years ago, I was living just outside New York City. This particular morning I happened to be at my girlfriend's place in central Pennsylvania and we weren't even completely awake when her brother in law came to the door almost panicked. I didn't know him very well and didn't know what to make of it at first when he came running in. We turned on the television just in time to see the second plane crash into the towers.

I'll never forget the feeling I had trying to take a mental inventory of where my friends and colleagues were likely to be that morning. I started calling, texting, emailing (like everyone else at that moment) trying to make sure my friends were safe. Only a few were in Manhattan that morning and luckily they were all OK.

I will never forget