Not Another 9/11 Post

This isn’t a 9/11 story, but it kinda is. I am over the fact that I came so close to dying on that day. I was supposed to be on United flight 175 to LA on that beautiful cloudless Tuesday morning. I made that flight many times for work. My customer this time was east of Fresno, so the plan was to fly to LA and drive up. I hated flying on Mondays. It was only a couple of hours more than flying to San Francisco. My customer was beyond pissed. He was ready to send the machines back. I was the engineering manager, so I had to go. But I refused to go. I insisted on going on vacation instead. My boss said any of us, including me, could be replaced. I told him to do what he had to do. I took the time off and painted my kitchen. Listening to God is the only reason why I am here to write this today at 12:48 AM on September 11, 2026.

The gate at Logan Airport was always the same. It changed a lot since then, but UA175 was all the way down the end of the Terminal C hall, then turn right all the way to the end. I have nightmares about the morning I didn’t have. I got Dunkin coffee, and then I would have run into my classmate Brian Sweeney. We weren’t friends, but I would have recognized him. (Please say a prayer for his family today. PLEASE VIEW THIS LINK.) I know his sister, and I have gotten closer to his older brother over the years since. I have just seen him tonight, and he is the same hollow guy I’ve known for years. It’s sad.

The reason why I say it’s not a 9/11 story is that it is a public trauma that we all experienced together. We all have experienced near-death experiences whether we know it or not. Some are global. Some are widespread. Some are local. Some are private. We all owe a death at some point. It’s just a price we pay for winning the lottery of being here in the first place.

I more than appreciate being able to see these 25 years since that dreadful day, meeting all of you, and meeting my second granddaughter this week—and my third is coming in a few weeks! I mentioned in Doc’s post about Emily that the price of appreciation is too damn high. We might as well enjoy it. What I went through was a light switch. It could have gone either way. What she went through was traumatic, to say the least. I will face another someday, so won’t we all?

I haven’t seen a 9/11 movie or video since that horrible day. I haven’t been able to speak about it until now, only to close friends and family. I feel I’m over it. Well, trying. Even though I can never forget… Never forget who did this to us!

Our own mortality comes in unique ways. The only certain thing is that whatever you think it is, it will probably be something else. This is brief, but the best I can do for now.

Tim