911... Where were you?

September 11, 2001 . . . . 

This is a day that many of us remember well. Many reading this are military veterans, active or active duty at that time. Many reading this are firefighters, police, emergency response professionals and medical personnel impacted by this. It is a sobering memory and reminder of the important things in life! 2,977 never saw September 12, 2001.

Like some of you, I remember it well. I wondered about a potential world war. I had served in active duty, and even called back to active duty, because of Operation Desert Shield 10 years earlier. But in 2001 I was managing a branch in the mortgage industry and had been at a customer’s home late the night before taking an application for a mortgage loan. I decided to go in later on this morning so I could see the children that I couldn’t say goodnight to the evening before. With 6 children at home, I was enjoying breakfast with them (well, 6 under 8 . . . I was trying to eat breakfast with them is more accurate) when our phone rang and we were encouraged to turn on the TV. Devastating. Horrific. Some of you may have lost family members at this time. Many of you have your own memories of this time. For anyone who lived through this, it is certainly a time that has impacted you and us all. I held my kids tight, kissed them all and started praying. I also knew I needed to get to the office.

This was not an easy time in the mortgage business. But it was an even worse time for so many others for so many reasons. Those of us in mortgage had it easy compared to so many others. I remember sitting with staff that was in the office, and watching on TV the unfolding tragedies. When the federal banking system shut down, we knew there were going to be impacts to everything around us - with much uncertainty yet to come. We started calling borrowers to let them know all closings were suspended because funds were unable to be wired. I was astonished at some, a very few fortunately, of customers that were irate about having to suspend closings. Even worse, we didn’t know when the banking system would open up again. But we chose to focus on those gracious customers that understood, that offered encouragement and those business partners that shared our common concern for many others that were facing unspeakable tragedies.

There were many direct impacts for the days and weeks and months ahead. But through it all, we came together. Not just our industry, our towns, our country – the whole world! Although there were tragedies that my family and friends wouldn’t know as others would at that time, I am grateful for the positive memories and inspiration we got from one another. Even Congress got together on the steps of the Nation's Capitol and sang our national anthem. During challenging times and difficult circumstances, there is nothing sweeter than coming together, supporting each other and working together to make things better.

Henry Ford said “Coming together is a beginning. Keeping together is progress. Working together is success.”

As we remember this day, 19 years later, may coming, keeping and working together be what we remember most and strive for daily. And thank those in professions that are most exposed, at risk and at the front lines of protecting our homes and families every day because they go off to work understanding that they may not return.