Dear Readers:

Americans remember exactly what they were doing when the towers crumbled, killing friends, relatives, and first responders in New York. That infamous morning, I was preparing breakfast for me and my husband who was supposed to go to Australia on a business trip when one of his colleagues called. My husband said Carol had told him to turn on the TV.

That’s when I saw the worst news of my life. I watched both towers go down, then I saw where the plane of courageous passengers landed. Until that day, I felt fairly safe in my country. But that feeling dissipated quickly as thoughts that we were being attacked by terrorists filtered through my skull, filling my brain with sorrow and confusion.

I sympathize with the people who lost loved ones. I know what it means to lose a loved one. My Dear Parents are gone. My oldest brother passed away in 2016, and my younger brother passed away last year. I still can’t get used to not having them around. I truly miss them. I’m having a difficult time adjusting to not having them. And I’m slowly losing my sister to Alzheimer’s. Please pray for me. I need to toughen up. I am praying for the folks who lost loved ones. And I pray that our country will prosper and become the powerful nation that it was years ago.

Dear Readers, I hope this day hasn’t been too rough for you. I pray that all those memories will make you and me more resilient. God Bless America!