From Death Springs Life

As they say, "everyone remembers where they were on September 11, 2001." I am no different. I was commuting back and forth from Visalia to Madera at that point and my wife was pregnant with our youngest daughter. I don't remember what I was listening to on the radio, but I know I did not hear anything about the planes until I got to work. It was the buzz around the office as soon as people started getting there. We gathered in the conference room for a while and then the President of the company sent everyone home to be with their families. He thought that it was the start of something bigger.

As I sit and think about this, I also must think about what it was like for my Grandma and Grandpa back in 1941. They were in a similar situation in that my Grandma was pregnant with my Dad at the time of Pearl Harbor. The Japanese attack was a total surprise to everyone, even though a war was happening at the time. The attack prompted the US to declare war and enter World War II.

The deaths that occurred due to both of these events were a tragedy, but for my family their really was a silver lining. Less than a month after Pearl Harbor my father was born. The month after the September 11 attack, my daughter was born. I don't know if there is a connection here, or even what that connection might be. If there could be one though, I would hope that my daughter would inherit the work ethic and success of my dad.

For his entire life, he has been the type of person who cannot sit still. He has always had an independent streak, or stubbornness, that has allowed him to own his own business for most of his life. He has also been successful at whatever he has done. Even brain tumors have not been able to make him quit. They have slowed him down, but he is still very active.

So just maybe since they were both born the month after horrible terrorist attacks on US soil, they share some traits that will make my daughter as successful as my dad.