9/11 A Reminder For Me...

There are a lot of things we remember from this "day of infamy", this day that will always be etched in our memory as a day we were attacked.  We will remember those who perished, those who were heroic, and how the nation rallied in a unified moment of sorrow and yet hope for each other and our country.

For me, it reminds me of how fragile life is.  How unexpected a loved one can be lost.  How possible it is that even I won't be home for dinner tonight.  We just don't know when we will be called home to our God.  But without our knowing the when, we can know the how.  Meaning, how we are with our life, our family, our God?

Today reminds me that I never want to leave home without kissing my wife goodbye and telling her and our child at home that I love them.

It reminds me how important it is to be more consistent in reaching out to my children, grandchildren, parents, and siblings in other parts of the country and to express my love for them, in both word and deed.

It reminds me that I need to try harder each day to be a better person; kinder to those around me and more willing to serve my fellow man. 

It reminds me that I need to be prepared to meet Him who created me.

As heart wrenching as this day can be as we look back on those whose lives were lost, it is also a day we can use to look forward to how we can make ourselves better, better prepared for what lies ahead.