The morning dawned clear, crisp - not a cloud in the blue, blue sky.

At work, I had everything ready for the new day - and shortly after our doors opened, a customer ran in with the news that "a plane struck the World Trade Center"

We rushed to turn on the radio. Listening in disbelief as the events of September 11, 2001 unfolded. First one tower - then the other. The collapse of the towers. The Pentagon.... I know work went on that day - being in Municipal government, you don't just stop. All I remember clearly was wondering if the end of the world had come.

Later, as people rushed to Churches or met on the street, we went back to City Hall for a vigil on the front steps. And that was when we found out that our (recently) ex-Police Commissioner had not been heard from. He was working in the towers. He was never heard from again. And, in another twist, my sister-in-law, who worked out of Philadelphia, was supposed to be AT WTC for a meeting that morning. The meeting was canceled the day before.

And slowly...other stories emerged. We watched the nation pull together in shock and grief. And, I remember thinking one thought - that there are people who live in this horror day after day. Death and destruction rear their ugly heads over and over and it seems it will never end.

For the actions of a minority of extremists, countless innocent people suffer and die every day. People like you and me.

Will we ever learn?