Twenty-five years ago, my day started like any other. I woke up, had breakfast, and got ready for the day. Afterward, I sat down to watch TV while Kevin was getting ready for work. Karissa was still sleeping, and the house was quiet and peaceful. There was nothing about that morning that suggested it would become a day I would remember for the rest of my life.

I remember the television suddenly showing New York City and the Twin Towers. There was smoke pouring from one of the buildings. At first, I was confused. I didn’t really understand what I was looking at or what had happened. Something was obviously wrong, but the details weren’t clear yet. I remember calling Kevin over and telling him to look at the TV. And then, while we were watching, we saw an airplane fly directly into the other tower. For a moment, I think neither of us really understood what we had just seen. It was so surreal that it almost didn’t seem real. We were watching it happen on television, but somehow it felt like we were watching a movie rather than something actually happening in the real world.

We stayed there watching the coverage, trying to understand what was happening. I remember Kevin saying, “We’re going to war.” At the time, I didn’t really understand what he meant. War? How could we suddenly be talking about war? I still couldn’t wrap my mind around what we were seeing on the television. There were so many questions running through my head. Why was this happening? Who had done this? Was it another country? Was it someone from within our own country? Was this some terrible accident, or was it intentional?

The more we watched, the more obvious it became that this was no accident. Then came the reports of another plane, another crash, and the Pentagon. The images and information kept coming, but none of it seemed possible. It was almost as though the entire world had stopped moving while everyone tried to comprehend what was happening. The quiet morning we had started with suddenly felt very different.

Twenty-five years later, I can still picture that television screen. I can still remember calling Kevin over. I can still remember the two of us sitting there, watching and trying to make sense of something that seemed impossible. That day started as an ordinary morning. None of us knew that by the end of the day, the world would feel like a different place.

As I return to today, I’m realizing that I seem to have somehow become the keeper of all things. I’m not entirely sure how this happened because I wouldn’t necessarily describe myself as the most organized person in the world. I just like things to have a home. Everything should have a place where it belongs, and apparently, they decide I should be responsible for finding that place.

Other people seem perfectly happy to hand things over to me and say, “Here, you keep this.” And I do. I find it a home. Then, inevitably, years, months, or days later, someone needs that very thing and comes looking for me.

Today, Alex starts work on Monday, and I was tasked with finding his birth certificate and Social Security card. I knew exactly where his Social Security card was because, at some point, he had given it to me and asked me to find a safe place for it. Of course I did. It was right where it was supposed to be.

His birth certificate, however, is another story. I don’t have it. He never gave it to me. I have everyone else’s birth certificate, but somehow Alex’s is the one that escaped my filing system. He actually has a folder where he keeps his important papers, including things like his birth certificate. So now his job is to find the folder. I have done my part. I wish him the best of luck on his archaeological expedition.

This did make me realize that I really need to go through that safe. It’s starting to feel a little stuffed to the brim, and I’m sure there are things in there that could be organized better. I suspect there are also things I have completely forgotten about. It might be time for me to open it up, take everything out, and figure out what actually needs to be in there. Of course, that sounds like a project for Future Me.

Studying and focusing were difficult today. My brain just didn’t seem particularly interested in cooperating. Still, I managed to get things done, even if it wasn’t exactly the productive study day I had hoped for. I washed towels and the bathroom mats, put away the clean clothes, and kept an eye on the dogs. So, I wasn’t completely unproductive.

But today just feels… weird. I don’t know if that’s the right word, but it’s the one that keeps coming to mind. Nothing particularly bad happened. Nothing is necessarily wrong. It just feels like one of those days where everything is slightly out of rhythm. Maybe it’s because I’m trying to study, keep up with the house, think about next week, and generally keep track of everyone and everything. Maybe because 25 years ago, things changed. Or maybe it’s just one of those days that feels strange for no particular reason.

Next week, my cousin from the Philippines is coming down to Texas. I’m not entirely sure why… probably work, but he’ll be here all week, and I’ll get to see him and his wife on Sunday. Not this Sunday, but the following Sunday. I’m excited about it. I haven’t seen my cousin in forever.

Karissa came into the office a little while ago and asked me what she was doing when 9/11 happened.

“Sleeping.”

I then reminded her that she was only a year old at the time. Of course, she already knew that. And just like that, she went back to doing her homework.

There are certain moments that make you stop and realize how much time has passed. For her, 9/11 is something she learned about rather than something she remembers. For me, it’s something I remember very clearly. It’s strange how differently history exists depending on when you were born.

In the meantime, I printed out the form Alex needs to fill out for his new job. Now I’m just hoping he finds that birth certificate, or, more accurately, finds the folder containing the birth certificate. I have faith that it exists somewhere. I just can’t take responsibility for things that were never entrusted to me in the first place.

I’m not entirely sure what we’re doing this weekend. The calendar doesn’t show us doing much, which could be either a good thing or a sign that I’m forgetting something. There is hockey on Sunday night, at least. I think we’re going hiking tomorrow morning, and after that… who knows?

Maybe I’ll study. Maybe I’ll relax and play on the computer. Maybe I’ll clean something. Or maybe I’ll look at all three options and decide that none of them sound particularly appealing.

For now, my computer is telling me that it wants to restart. I’m not entirely sure why, considering it doesn’t really update anymore now that I’m still on Windows 10 rather than Windows 11. But apparently it has decided that a restart is necessary, and who am I to argue with a computer? Maybe I should take the hint. I think I’ll post this and restart the computer. Then I can call it a day.

A slightly weird, somewhat scattered, productive-in-its-own-way kind of day. And tomorrow is another day.