Nine Eleven

Seven years ago yesterday, our world was rocked. I can remember sitting at work, watching CNBC and hearing and seeing the coverage as the first plane crashed into one of the towers of the World Trade Center. I worked on a trading desk at Thrivent and my co-workers and I were getting our morning calls and reading research - waiting for the opening of the stock market. As we watched in horror, the second plane hit the next tower. This was a live shot.

Over the next few days and weeks I heard story after story of people who I worked with in the brokerage community talk about how it affected them or how they were on the phone with someone who worked in the tower and the phone just went dead. It gives me the shivers to this day.

One story in particular still gives me the shivers as I still think of it. A lady I worked with, Kathleen, she worked at Prudential somewhat near the towers. I visited her offices when I was there in 2000 and I remember driving past the Towers thinking, I will never go in there because I'm afraid of heights. They were magnificent.

So Kathleen has a younger brother James. He worked at Bridge, which is a company that has trading, analytic software, etc... James got a phone call from a co-worker who was sick. He couldn't make the demo that was going on in the Windows of the World restaurant that day. So he went in his co-workers place. HE WENT IN HIS CO-WORKERS PLACE. HE WAS NOT MEANT TO BE THERE. Except God had his plans for James. James was called to God's side on September 11th, 2001. His family realized late that day when James didn't come home and didn't answer his phone calls that something had happened. Later they found out that James went to the Towers instead of a co-worker.

I think we all go through rough times in our life where we question, "Why?" "Why me?" And I always try to put it in perspective. It could be worse. Losing a loved one in such a tragic, horrific way... Kathleen, if you read the blog. I love ya, girl! Everytime I bite into cheesecake, I still think of you! God bless your family!