Where Were You ?

There are certain seminal moments in our civilization. Older folks speak of their whereabouts on hearing the news of JFK's assassination, that shot from a grassy knoll that seemed to mortally wound a generation's blossoming hope. I myself have a vivid recollection of Neil Armstrong's first lunar steps signalling our intent to formally approach that final frontier.

Sept 11th, 2011 was another defining moment for our generation, the aura of untouchablesness in "other cultures' issues " snapped like a twig, awakening us in North America to the reality that you can't mess with dirty problems and escape clean. It was Vietnam come home to roost.

I was on a business trip when I heard the news, having a business dinner with my boss and an important, friendly customer on the riverfront in Singapore. Within moments, all of our phones rang, from family, friends and colleagues across the world. The stories we got then were confused, muddled and reflected the early understanding of what was going on...an accident, or something sinisterly worse. We found a TV (still outside somehow) and watch as the second tower was hit and the understanding that the world was changing in front of us started to dawn. Our customer had primary US offices on Wall Street, and my own trips there and the people I knew in that location came to mind. Our dinner stopped, disbelief replacing appetite and we were riveted to the images being replayed and the unfolding carnage.

We were in Singapore for a conference to be held the 12th and 13th, and we'd planned for it for some time beforehand. While I stayed up all night watching the news unfold and talking with various colleagues around the world - evacuated buildings and fear permeating the day, I was struck by how the ground had shifted under us. I wondered if I'd have trouble getting home, and when these attacks would be over. I wondered about our business - we were in the business of global travel and I recalled all too well the empty planes and hotels during the first gulf war.

The next morning, our conference and the thousands of delegates due to attend were re-routed and the event cancelled. At the very least, it was in poor taste to continue and many had travelled from the US to be there. My boss and I headed to the airport as well, having little now to keep us in Singapore. We were unsure what the situation would be there, but it takes some time to react, and Singapore Airlines had no added security, or obvious special precautions in place. We boarded and flew as if nothing was amiss. That was surreal in light of the complete shutdown in North America.

The ten years since Sept 11th has seen our world morph and the need to be 'secure' replace many personal freedoms. The actions being taken (love them or hate them) are still reactions, which speaks to the magnitude of the event perhaps more so than the actual decisions being made today. Ten years on, it was still quite a day to remember.