We will never forget

With the 22nd anniversary of 9/11 just a few days ago, I’ve decided to share what I posted on Facebook about my experience on that incredibly sad day in 2001. There’s nothing more powerful than a first-person account, whether it’s a remembrance like this or a strong testimonial for your business.

On this eve of 9/11, I can’t help thinking back to what I was doing on this date 22 years ago: the same thing the people on those doomed planes were doing—preparing to hop on an early-morning flight.

I’d moved to San Diego about 3 weeks earlier and was still employed in San Jose. While I mostly worked from home, the plan was for me to travel north as necessary, so that’s why I was booked on a 6:30 a.m. flight.

I was only going for the day, so I parked my car in short-term parking—unaware I’d be returning to it far sooner than expected. The boarding process was normal. We even pushed back and started to taxi toward the runway. But then the plane shuddered to a stop.

The captain told us our departure would be delayed due to an “aviation incident” in New York. Since our short flight was on the other side of the country, that seemed odd. It wouldn’t be long until we learned why we were grounded; we were allowed to use our cell phones.

I called my dad in Florida. “Where are you?” he asked, with a touch of panic in his voice. That touch became full-blown when I said I was waiting to take off for San Jose. When he said planes flew into the World Trade Center I initially thought he mistakenly used the plural of plane. And I imagined an accident involving a small plane. Who could conceive of what really happened?

I started hearing gasps from throughout my plane as we learned a third plane had crashed into the Pentagon. This was clearly a grave situation, no accident.

It wasn’t too long after that when we returned to the gate. No one in America was flying on that day but we didn’t know that yet. Since there was a good chance I’d miss my meeting in San Jose, I asked for a refund (and got it) and started walking to my car. I called my dad again; he was relieved I was off the plane.

It was so early I decided to have breakfast before heading home. I stopped at a hotel—and only then did I fully understand the scope of the situation, watching the live TV broadcast people were huddled around. There was no way to fully grasp what had occurred without actually seeing it.

Like millions of others, I spent the rest of the day glued in front of the TV, recoiling in horror as a fourth plane crashed, and then first one then the other giant tower collapsed. My sleep was troubled that night as I kept thinking of all those people who’d done the same thing I’d done that morning—rise early to get to the airport and board a plane—but whose lives were cruelly snuffed out by madmen. Never forget.

Everyday or every day?

Everyday is an adjective that modifies a noun, such as everyday occurrence. Every day is an adverbial phrase that means each day. A quick test: If you can use a day of the week in the sentence, you should use every day.

Fewer or less?

Fewer should be used for countable, numbered things, like 50 fewer clients, while less should be used for things that can’t be counted, like less time to prepare.