This post is not about sleep, maybe it is in a way.  It is about lost sleep, and it is about hope that it will never happen again.

All wars are fought over one of two things.  It is always about either territory, money, or both. Do you remember where you were when the current war began? When the planes flew into the World Trade Center, The Pentagon, and was crashed in that Pennsylvania field by every day hero's? We are at another anniversary of that event, September 11.

I was at work. On the Monday prior to this, I was at a meeting in the headquarters of the company I worked for in Nashville, Tennessee. I was packing out my suitcase, and was in a hurry, so I didn't have the TV on. As I loaded the suitcase into the car some people started talking to me. Which is a little odd in a big city like Nashville. They asked me if I saw it. I said, no what happened? A plane hit the World Trade center they said. For some reason I went back to my room and turned on the TV. News coverage was on, at first they thought it was a horrible accident. But as the cameras were trained at the crash site, another plane came into the frame and flew right into the second tower. My jaw dropped. At that instant I knew we were under attack. The American way of life was in peril. Most of us, Americans just want to be left alone, we have no ill will towards anyone. Perhaps our Government is a different story, but every day Americans are doing what most peoples are trying to do, make a living. Tears started to flow. I sat on the end of the bed for hours watching the coverage. At some point I guess I realized that my way of life was being threatened. And I remember making this promise to myself, I don't remember if I said it out loud, however, I was not going to let the bastards win. I took a few minutes to compose myself, then I went out to the car, I had sales calls to make. It was the hardest day of my life. But my life went on.

My kids were 16 and 20 years old, they and my wife were 500 miles away. Each mile closer to home had a certain apprehension. Was there to be more attacks? Where would the next one be. I do remember feeling some security in that President Bush, at least at first did what I was doing, his job. He was reading to some elementary students, a political event, but he didn't stop right away, that gave me some calm. I never understood, how later that would be seen as uncaring. For weeks or months after, I was worried that there was another attack coming. 

Now at the 11th anniversary of that attack, the mastermind is dead. Life is still not normal in our country, but is closer. Maybe it will never be like it was on September 10th, but I hope it will be. It is in living the way we wish to live that causes those who would attack us to stay on their heels. It is the retaliation, the eagles rage, that will keep us safe. Some day, in the future, my great grand children will ask their grandparents "what were you doing on September 11th 2001?" And they can answer, I was in school, learning, and living my life.

Let us not forget. Let us honor those who died, and those who risked their lives to rush in and try to save lives. Let us remember so that if it happens again we can be sure that we will survive, and thrive. Liberty assures that.

Thank you for your patience.

Sleep Well!