Friends Archives - A Father of Twin Boys

15 years later and the tragic moments of 9/11 seem just like it was yesterday.

15 years later and I still remember where I was when I heard that the planes had hit the World Trade Center.

15 years later, I still remember my professor at UNCW dismissed our class and we all hurried to get to a tv.

15 years later, I still remember getting word that my friends that worked and lived in New York, were safe and sound.

And 15 years later, I still pray for those that lost their lives that day. Today, we mourn the loss of those that died, due to no fault of their own. Today, I pray for their families and pray for comfort and peace. Today, I am very grateful that when I last visited the World Trade Center Memorial, that I didn’t have to look for the photos of my friends on the wall.

And 15 years later, time still stands still as I remember the moment that our world forever changed.
But as I was reflect back to what Mister Rogers had to say about 9/11 and I don’t know that I could have said it any better myself.

So today, 15 years after a day that we’ll never forget, let’s put aside political differences and let’s focus on what really matters today.

In life, friends will come and go. Many will be there for the good times and few will be there for the bad, but a true friend, is worth more than anything.

Yesterday, we packed up and drove for an hour to meet up with one of my best friends, who happens to also be my old roommate from Texas. We go back almost 20 years now and even though we only see each other 2 – 3 times a year, it is just like yesterday that we were together and having a beer and talking about life, our plans and our dreams. And yesterday was no different, except now, my boys run and jump in his arms when they see him and give him hugs and tell him about what is going on at school. And we talked yesterday at lunch for 3 hours, the boys were awesome and they let us just talk and my friend, we laughed and told jokes, caught up on life and somethings going on in our lives and just enjoyed our time together.

Our time, is never long enough. But, one thing that I’ve remember from when I was a little older than my sons, is that my Uncle Kenny (not really my uncle, but my Dad’s best friend), that you’ll only have 5 or fewer really close friends, those that will be there for you no matter what. My Uncle Kenny was a smart man, because he is right. My best friend, who my boys call their Uncle too, knows things about me and my life, that no one else knows. There is no judgement, there is just an understanding that no matter what, we will always be there for the other. The night that I called him and told him that my mother in law was killed, he was on his computer trying to book a flight. A few weeks ago, he called and was having a rough time and I was on my computer looking for a flight.

Friends that will be there for you through your lowest moment are your friends that will be there to drink a beer with you in our your highest moments. But as my wife said to me yesterday after lunch, you would have thought that my best friend and I had just seen each other the week before, because we just fall right into place with our conversations and laughing and joking around.