The boys (Evan/3 and Jason/1) and I were watching Clifford the Big Red Dog on PBS in the basement of our home on State Street in Mishawaka. Jason started pushing buttons on the TV, cause that's what one year olds do.
As I approached the TV to fix the station I was confused by what I saw on the morning news show. I don't remember which station it was, or what point in the unfolding tragedy we started watching, but we didn't watch Clifford any more right then.
Throughout the morning and the day I remember talking to Jon on the phone, finally deciding that we were comfortable with him staying at work that day. The boys asked if the bad guys would crash a plane at Notre Dame (where Daddy was working). I told them I didn't think so. We prayed for everyone at Daddy's work just the same.
That's really all I remember from that day. I think everything else I "remember" is more a conglomeration of that day and all of the years since then.
How about you? Where were you? Who were you with?
I was CEO of a 60-person company and was totally confused that day about what to do. I was in shock and perhaps we all were. I couldn't collect my thoughts enough to know what the right response was, or if there was one. I decided that leadership was better than a vacuum, so I gathered all the employees together in the break room and told them they could do whatever made them feel most comfortable: go home to their families, stay and work, or stay at the office together with friends and colleagues and not work at all. I still don't know what the right action was, but I'm glad we brought everyone together. I think in times of shock or grief, it's better to acknowledge exactly what is happening than to try and cover it up, even when that's uncomfortable.
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