Where were you 9/11/2001?

That question is said to be the defining one for this generation, the way “Where were you when you heard President Kennedy had been assassinated?” was for mine.

So, I was in my apartment in Warsaw with my wife Monika who was then eight-and-a-half months pregnant.

My sister-in-law Kasia called and told her, “Turn on CNN right now!”

We turned on in time to watch the smoke rising from the first tower. I immediately suspected terrorism, but reminded myself not to jump to conclusions. After all, the Empire State building was once hit by an airplane.

Then the second tower was hit and I said, “It’s terrorism.”

That was the day that we learned again that an airplane with a pilot willing to die is a Cruise missile.

That was the day that we learned with grief and pride that Americans can still spontaneously organize, overrule standing doctrine and do what free men and women do better than anyone – improvise.

That was the day that “Let’s roll” became a battle cry to be remembered through all our history to the last.

That was the day my son got his name.

That was the day we began to realize that our long holiday from history was over.

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