When asked to pen a 9/11 commemoration article for National Underwriter, I have to admit I was a little overwhelmed. Not being directly affected by the loss of family or friends, I was afraid I could not convey the magnitude or the emotional impact of the event.

However, once I started thinking back to that day, I realized that I remember more detail about the events that occurred than just about any other day in my life. Not to say that I know or understand the loss of those directly affected, but I can simply reflect on the impact that this day had in the life of an American who experienced it and, hopefully, relay the importance of preserving that memory.

As many of us do, I remember exactly where I was when the news began to circulate that one of the World Trade Center towers was on fire. I was working in an insurance office and was called to an underwriter's desk where there was a small television. At that time, most breaking news came from the 24/7 news channels like CNN and Fox News, along with the big three networks.