9-11. Do you remember what you were doing this day 25 years ago? If you’re like most of people old enough to have been aware at that time know exactly what transpired that morning. I may have shared my story with you more than once previously, but I’m going to do it again anyway.

I was working for PGE at the Portland World Trade Center at the time. Diane was also working in the Portland area and our morning routine was to have the news on while we prepared for our 1-hour trip to work.

When the video of the first impact on the WTC in New York came on we, and the world, watched the horrific devastation in silence. It was difficult to see it happening because things like this don’t happen in America, right? It was painful, sad, and terrifying as we watched the South Tower collapse

The newscast showed the strike over and over to ensure no one missed it. A look at the clock revealed that we’d better get on the road to work because things on our side of the world hadn’t changed. It was business as usual.

The Portland WTC conference rooms on my floor had multiple TVs running when I got to work, each one tuned to a local channel. Many people walked in and out of the one I occupied to see what was going on. Many of use stayed in the conference room and waited for the steps for resolution to fall into place knowing it would be a slow process.

As we watched, the 2nd plane crashed into the North Tower, then stared in disbelief as it, too, crumbled to the ground in a heap of rubble.

Knowing what went on in both towers after each strike humbles most people. All those brave people who saved so many lives, then lost their own. It was devastating.

The rest of that day was very quiet and I don’t think a lot of routine work was accomplished. The news reported on this event all day long and everyone made visits to the conference room multiple times to see if things had magically changed.

We finished our day and went home wondering what was going to happen next.

Now, here we are 25 years later and the terrorists are still very busy. Most of the activity is located outside the USA, but we’re still the target.

As we remember this atrocity, I wish you peace. We should forgive and move on, but we shouldn’t forget what can happen in the blink of an eye.

Please keep those who serve in the military in your thoughts and prayers. They put their lives on the line every day.