The Phoenix Real Estate Guy » Life

Open Letter to the Gilbert School Board: On Music Education

Jay Thompson — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 00:51:47 +0000

Dear Gilbert School Board Members -

Long time no chat! Somehow my annual pilgrimage to one of your meetings to beg, plead and grovel for funding for music and fine arts programs never materialized this year. This is good.

I do want to share a little story with you, one that I hope you will read, and remember, when the inevitable discussions around music programs occur – now or in the future. Maybe it will be funding issues, whether to cut or (hopefully) expand music programs and/or staffing. Perhaps whether or not to approve a band or orchestra field trip.

Someday, if not this academic year than certainly in some other, these discussions and crucial votes will make it onto your agenda. When they do, please consider this:

Questions always seem to arise about the value of a music education. Honestly, I’ve never really understood how anyone could question the value of a music education, but the reality is many do. Including many school administrators, staff, teachers, coaches and district administrators.

My daughter is currently a Senior at Highland High School. She has been involved in Gilbert schools music programs since the seventh grade – literally half of her elementary and secondary education career.

She was recently accepted into ASU’s Walter Cronkite School of Journalism, as well as ASU’s Barrett, The Honors College. I don’t believe I have to tell you how selective these programs are. While the Cronkite School considers primarily grades and test scores, Barrett also looks at the “whole package” of what a potential student can offer. They seek dedicated, hard working, driven students who can work well in groups and will work diligently to achieve the very high standards they set.

At a recent “scholars dinner” at ASU, I was privileged to meet with various administrators and professors from both the Cronkite School and Barrett. Naturally, discussions about my daughter entered into the conversation. We told some of the ASU representatives that we had waited with baited breath for months for word on our daughter’s acceptance into the Honors College. The day the Barrett acceptance arrived, the entire Thompson family was excited, and relieved. The opportunity for our daughter to get a world-class Journalism education, to enroll in the Honors College simultaneous Bachelor’s and Master’s degree program, is very much appreciated. She will work hard, and she will do well.

We told the ASU staff that we were concerned that our daughter’s extracurricular and community activities would hurt her chances of being admitted to Barrett. You see, she had dedicated a tremendous amount of time and effort into the music program at Highland. Being in Marching Band, Symphony, Wind Ensemble and Concert Band leaves no time for anything else. A-hour’s, after-school practices, concert performances, competitions, on-field performances — there just aren’t enough hours in the day to do much else.

You know what we heard, repeatedly, from the people at Cronkite and Barrett?

“We love band kids. They work hard, and they are unbelievably dedicated. They work well with others. They are respectful. They are bright. They are well-balanced. Some of our most successful students come out of high school music programs.”

These accolades for students in music programs were repeated over and over. These accolades came straight from the mouths of ASU staff and faculty — people that work with university students every day and know what it takes for them to not just be successful, but to excel.

“We love band kids.”

“Some of our most successful students come out of high school music programs.”

Those are powerful sentiments from people that see success, and failure, on a daily basis at the post-secondary education level.

So please, remember those words and sentiments the next time discussions come up about cutting classes, programs, funding or assistance for music and the performing arts. Remember the incredible dedication and effort that Mr. Chip Durham (Highland Junior High Music Director), Mr. Kevin Bennett, Mr. Lewis Nelson and Mr. Bill Bitter (Highland High Band faculty) put forth every single day to give our children an amazing education and even more amazing future.

“We love band kids.”

And you should too. Many of the best and brightest in the Gilbert Independent School District are band (and orchestra, and choir) students. They are ambassadors for all the Gilbert schools, and our community. They will be leaders, teachers, doctors, journalists, scientists, business owners and parents.

They are our future.

Please, don’t ever forget the importance of music and the performing arts in education, or those that provide it.

Respectfully,

Jay Thompson
Band Dad

Photo Credit: “Scattered Notes” by S. Parker on Flickr. CC Licensed.

Originally posted on Phoenix Real Estate Guy. If you are reading this anywhere but inside your RSS feed reader, the site you are on is guilty of stealing content.

Gratitude…

Jay Thompson — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 22:49:05 +0000

There have been roughly half a bazillion articles posted across the internet over the last few days about New Year’s resolutions, goals for 2012, accomplishments in 2011, blah blah blah. I’ve never been a big fan of making resolutions. It seems if you want to resolve to do something, you should just do it. Why wait for some arbitrary point on the calendar?

All that being said, the dawning of the new year is a pretty good time to reflect on the past, and consider the future. This year I think I’ll eschew the traditional and go more down the Thanksgiving road. Hence the title of this post.

I owe a lot of people my gratitude…

My Wife Francy

I don’t have the vocabulary or writing skills to express everything my wife means to me. Suffice it to say that without her, I would be lost. She is an amazing business partner, a wonderful mother and wife, and my best friend.

My Kids

My son James and my daughter Lauren are two of the brightest, most delightful individuals I’ve ever had the pleasure of knowing. I’m terribly proud of both of them, and am honored to be their father and friend.

My Family

Mostly as the result of my father’s career in the U.S. Army, my immediate family is spread across the country. From upstate New York to southern Middle Tennessee to Seattle to Colorado to Arizona and all points in between, all of my family means a great deal to me. I wish we all lived closer. Like in a commune or something, so we could see each other every day. OK, maybe not in a commune, but I do wish we lived closer…

My Friends

Too many to list individually, you all know who you are (at least I hope you do). You’re the ones I’d take a bullet for, and I suspect you would do the same for me. See “My Family” above. You are my extended family, and I wish we coud spend more time together as well.

My Acquaintances

Social media has allowed us to connect with people we would probably never connect with otherwise. Some of my “acquaintances” that I’ve never had the pleasure to meet face-to-face really are true friends now. The planet has become very small the last few years. One does not have to be a bullet-taking friend with someone to share, learn and laugh with them.

Our Clients

Let’s face it, without all of our amazing clients we wouldn’t be here. Or we’d at least be homeless and hungry. For entrusting us with your real estate needs, you have our undying gratitude. You make our world go round…

Our Agents

Francy and I feel remarkably blessed to work with such an amazing group of talented professionals — and world-class human beings. Every one of you has added tremendously to our business, and our lives. Now, if you’d only get your paperwork in on time…

You

Yes you. The one reading this article. You may well fall into one or more of the categories listed above, but you are also a Phoenix Real Estate Guy reader. And I appreciate that, more than you probably realize. Thank You.

Carpe Diem and all that..

A new year is upon us. Who knows what joy, sadness, and challenges it will present. I wish all of you a happy, prosperous and safe new year. It will ultimately be what we make of it. I plan to make it the best year yet. Thanks to all of you, I believe that will happen.

Assuming of course, the Mayans got it wrong…

Photo Credit: shannonkringen on Flickr. CC Licensed.

Originally posted on Phoenix Real Estate Guy. If you are reading this anywhere but inside your RSS feed reader, the site you are on is guilty of stealing content.

The Best of TPREG 2011

Jay Thompson — Sun, 01 Jan 2012 00:53:34 +0000

“Best of…” lists are never easy to compile. What constitutes a “best” blog post? Number of comments, Likes, or Retweets? Number of visitors? Ones that make the phone ring with paying clients (YES! But that is virtually impossible to measure).

“Best” is subjective. What one person thinks is a great post, someone else may find to be complete crap.

So with all that in mind, I present you with what I felt was some of the best of the blog in 2011. I used a completely scientific and mathematical algorithm… I virtually thumbed through the archives and picked posts I liked. For whatever reason. Your mileage and opinion may vary.

Some of my favorite posts from 2011, in no particular order, other than chronological…

A life-altering moment. Putting things in perspective

Witnessing the aftermath of a fatal car accident — and one I thought momentarily might involve my son — made me think about things a whole lot differently. This was one of those rare posts that people reached out privately and said how much it moved them.

Does a Physical Office Matter to Real Estate Agents or Consumers?

It’s a subject near and dear to my heart. I’ll argue until the day I die that the answer is a resounding no.

On Presenting at Ignite Phoenix 10. From sheer terror to adrenaline overdose in 5 minutes.

Completely non-real estate related. But presenting at Ignite Phoenix was one of my personal highlights of 2011.

I’m suing you! You are illegally manipulating the Google!

This one garnered a ton of Likes and comments. Some folks still refer to The Google… And no, I never heard another peep from the dipwad that threatened to sue.

What You Can Learn from Lady Gaga

Even at 50 years of age, you can still learn things. This one was a lesson for me in preconceived notions…

The Final Season

It’s my youngest child’s senior year of high school. Lots of memories of “last time she’ll ever…” This one still makes me misty.

The Immutable Laws of Buying and Selling Real Estate

Any post that references Newton’s Laws of Motion deserves a mention… One of my most stolen posts of 2011.

How Real Estate is Like a Cheeseburger…

Probably my favorite title of the year. This is what you get when you “crowd source” a post topic.

7 Habits of Highly Effective Home Buyers

Kicked off a (small) series. Another candidate for most ripped-off of 2011. Maybe ever.

Hacked. Or, how I spent the last 60 hours

Three pretty shitty days. Nothing like thinking everything you’ve poured into your site for the last six plus years may never see the light of day again.

What Clint Miller Taught Me About Life

Clint Miller was a champion among men. We should all learn to live like Clint did. Hands down the most difficult thing to write this year.

The Thompson’s Realty Manifesto

Why it took over three years to articulate our brokerages philosophy in one place is beyond me.

THANK YOU!

Thanks to all one million plus of you who stopped by our little corner of the Internet in 2011 (and that number still freaks me out). Without you, this place wouldn’t serve a whole lot of purpose. Your reading, subscribing, commenting, Liking and Tweeting are why we’re here. You, oh avid reader, are appreciated and I wish you a fabulous 2012!

Originally posted on Phoenix Real Estate Guy. If you are reading this anywhere but inside your RSS feed reader, the site you are on is guilty of stealing content.

Everyone Can Use Karma Points. RIP Clint Miller

Jay Thompson — Sat, 17 Dec 2011 17:31:49 +0000

Hey you! Yes, you, standing there in the Starbucks line, waiting to get your venti quad-shot mocha frappachino with-whip latte. What say you turn around and give that five bucks to a family that can use it a lot more than your hips and ass needs that calorie-laden coffee concoction?

How about you skip that new release at the picture show, long with its giant tub of buttered popcorn, and put that twenty-five dollars to some good use. You can catch that flick on DVD later.

Later today my friend Clint Miller will be laid to rest. Earlier this week Clint lost a brutal 10 month battle with cancer. He was 40 years old.

Forty.

That is WAY too young.

Clint leaves behind a wife and five kids that could use a little help right now.

They aren’t asking for your help, I am.

So please, go to the Clint Miller Benefit site and click the blue donate button. You’ll be depositing whatever you can spare directly into the Pay Pal account of Clint’s lovely wife Angela.

A couple of thousand people will read this post. If each of you donate just $5, that’s 10 grand. If each of you donate $25, that’s fifty thousand dollars — enough to put Clint’s two small kids through college.

Think about that.

Want to make a tax deductible donation?

The wonderful people behind the Testicular Cancer Awareness Foundation have graciously agreed to donate any designated money collected through their site to the Miller family. 100% of what you donate there will go directly to Angela and the kids. Just go here, and click the donate button. When the payment page comes up, click on the “Add special instructions to the seller” link and say it’s for the Miller family.

It’s that easy. The TCAF is a registered non-profit 501(c)(3) organization (#27-1086557). Your deductions are 100% tax deductible.

Can’t Afford $5?

I understand times are tough. The holidays are expensive. I get that. How about $0.99? You can afford 99 cents. Go to itunes and buy this song — Thank You For The Memories. All proceeds will go to the Miller family.

Why Donate?

If you are fortunate enough to have known Clint, you won’t be asking why donate. If you didn’t know Clint, you missed out on a world-class human being. Why donate? I think Clint said it best…

One thing this whole shitball of a mess I’m in has taught me… you can never pass up a chance to do a good thing for someone. Anyone. Anytime. Pay it forward. Everyone can use Karma points. Everyone.

– Clint Miller

It is too late to do a good thing for Clint.

It is not too late to do something for the family he loved more than life itself.

Go do a good thing.

Rest in Peace my friend. You may be gone from this earthly place, but you will never be forgotten.

#WeLoveClint

An important message from one of Clint’s daughters: “Everyone keeps asking if there is anything they can do to help me. Well there is one thing! Tell all the men in your life to check themselves that way they don’t have to go through what my dad did. Bring awareness to this heartless disease, that’s all I want. Thank you all for keeping me and my family in your hearts.”

There must be something in the Miller gene pool that makes them care about other people so much. So do it fellows… And tell your sons to do it too. Men over the age of 14 should do monthly exams. Here’s how…

Originally posted on Phoenix Real Estate Guy. If you are reading this anywhere but inside your RSS feed reader, the site you are on is guilty of stealing content.

What Clint Miller Taught Me About Life

Jay Thompson — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 13:09:12 +0000

Clint Aaron Miller
March 8, 1971 – December 11, 2011

It is not often that I sit and stare at a computer screen, and have no idea what to write…

Last night, Clint Miller passed away after an incredibly courageous battle with testicular cancer. Cancer that spread to his brain and elsewhere. It ravaged his body, but it could not touch that man’s huge heart.

Clint was 40 years old, and left behind a wonderful wife and some beautiful children.

He also left a legacy second to none, and taught me a lot about life.

I first met Clint three-something years ago when I sent him a Tweet, or an email, I don’t remember which, asking him why I kept getting “sales crap” from his company after I had unsubscribed. Within minutes after sending that message my phone rang. It was Clint calling, and apologizing for the snag, and promising to never send me another thing unless I asked.

What would normally be a 15 second phone call turned into 30 minutes. We talked about real estate, our families, sports, music, food and who knows what else. 30 minutes after I flamed the man I almost bought a subscription to his product just because I liked the guy so damn much.

Almost… (It is a great product and service, I just don’t happen to need it).

That 30 minute call blossomed swiftly into a great friendship.

Over the ensuing months and years, Clint and I conversed frequently, almost always through social media channels. We got to know each other. We talked, we laughed, we helped each other in business. And in life.

I never got another sales pitch from Clint.

In February of this year, Clint was diagnosed with Stage 3C testicular cancer. In typical Clint style, he was totally transparent about his diagnosis, prognosis and treatment.

Oh God, the treatment. Multiple rounds of chemotherapy. Radiation. Removal of the cancerous testicle. Multiple brain surgeries. Hospital stays, countless tests, time in the ICU, you name it, cancer threw it at him.

And the entire time, the entire time, he fought back with utterly remarkable strength, grace and courage. He educated us, encouraging men to self-examine themselves. He lauded his wife and kids. He cracked jokes. Some were hilarious, some not-so-much. He asked what he could do for us.

Read that last part again. Asked what he could do for us…

There wasn’t any self-pity, though he was certainly more than entitled to a healthy dose of that. No, Clint Miller was worried about others. Family, friends and mere acquaintances. He encouraged us to live each day of life to its fullest. To watch sunrises and sunsets. To be kind to each other. To love each other.

The man whose body was being ravaged by this insidious disease was a beacon of light and hope.

What did Clint Miller teach me about life?

A lot.

He taught me about what is truly important — my family, and my friends. He taught me to “seize the day,” to, as put by Henry David Thoreau, “live deep and suck out all the marrow of life.”

Clint Miller lived deep and got more out of life in his far too short 40 years than most of us will garner in a normal life span.

That’s a hell of a life-lesson, and I thank my friend for that.

Two days before Clint died, I recorded the video embedded below. He was so sick at the end that I don’t think he ever saw it. But that’s OK because he knew how so many people felt about him. Many of you reading this have seen the video, some have not. I present it again because I think it captures some of what my friend Clint was all about, and I want you to know how loved he was (fair warning, contains a little “salty language).

Godspeed Clint. Don’t worry about Angela and the kids. They’re family now too, and a whole lot of people have their backs. Rest in peace my friend.

Thanks Mike Mueller

An important message from one of Clint’s daughters: “everyone keeps asking if there is anything they can do to help me well there is one thing! tell all the men in ur life to check themselves that way they don’t have to go through what my dad did bring awareness to this heartless disease that’s all I want. thank u all for keeping me and my family in ur hearts.”

ON DONATING

This is a pretty lousy time of year to ask people to donate money, but let’s be brutally honest — it’s a REALLY lousy time to die. People have asked though, so here is how you can make donations to help Clint’s remarkable family:

Clint Miller Memorial and Benefit Site

Every dollar counts…

Others opine:
I’m going to try to collect other posts here honoring Clint. Let me know if you have one and I’ll add it.

Clint Miller – AreWeConnected.com by Mike Mueller (some GREAT photos here)
How “Twitter Pioneer” Clint Miller Changed Missoula, My Life #R.I.P. - 1075zoofm.com (Clint’s local radio station) by Aaron Traylor
Live Each Day As There Is No Tomorrow- Lessons Learned From Clint #weloveclint – 210 Consulting by Jeremy Blanton
What Matters? – TLC Rants and Raves by Teri Conrad
#weloveclint – Western Massachusetts Living by Lesley Lambert
Clint Miller, 40, dies after cancer battle – Inman News
Today’s Thoughts – Your Agent’s Everyday by Dawn McKinley
Clint Aaron Miller, I Will Rise – Home Sales of Tallahassee by Debbie Kirkland
A lovely LIVESTRONG tradition… – 1/2 Marathon Rookie by Henrike Hirsch
Clint Miller: Friend, Mentor, and All Around Good Guy – RErockstar.com By Matt Stigliano
My Year In Review, 2011 – The Hick City Chick by Brooke Wolford
Social Media Says Goodbye To One Of Montana’s Pioneers #WeLoveClint – Official OverTime Blog by Tyler Bugatti

Memorial Information

Services will be held at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Missoula, MT on Saturday, December 17, 2011 at 3:00 p.m. (Mountain time)

Live streaming: The plan right now is to live stream the services here: http://www.ustream.tv/channel/weloveclint#events

Originally posted on Phoenix Real Estate Guy. If you are reading this anywhere but inside your RSS feed reader, the site you are on is guilty of stealing content.

Happy Thanksgiving 2011

Jay Thompson — Thu, 24 Nov 2011 20:13:48 +0000

Happy Thanksgiving!

I posted this on Facebook earlier today and figured it pretty much summed things up, so why not just repeat it here…

What am I thankful for?

More than I can list here…

I have an amazing wife, two wonderful children, and family and friends that I dearly love who love me back unconditionally.

I work with a group of the best real estate agents on the planet.

I live in the greatest country mankind has ever seen.

Really, there is nothing more I could ask for.

Well, a University of Texas beat down of Texas A&M today would be outstanding, but other than that…

Thank you all for being who you are, and enjoy this Thanksgiving Day, and every other day.

About all I can add to that is I am thankful for YOU, oh avid reader. Without you, there wouldn’t be much point in maintaining this little corner of the Internet.

Photo Credit: martha_chapa95 on Flickr. CC Licensed.

Originally posted on Phoenix Real Estate Guy. If you are reading this anywhere but inside your RSS feed reader, the site you are on is guilty of stealing content.

Three years ago today…

Jay Thompson — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 16:05:57 +0000

Hard to believe it’s been three years…

Please, don’t ever drink and drive.

Originally posted on Phoenix Real Estate Guy. If you are reading this anywhere but inside your RSS feed reader, the site you are on is guilty of stealing content.

Veterans Day 2011

Jay Thompson — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 16:12:00 +0000

As you go about your day today, stop, pause and reflect on what this country’s men and women in uniform have sacrificed. The video below is of LTC Oliver North making an address at a NRA annual meeting in 2009. I don’t care what your political leanings are, or what your feelings are about Ollie North and/or the NRA — and neither do the vets past and present that defend you — this is worth a watch.

Originally posted on Phoenix Real Estate Guy. If you are reading this anywhere but inside your RSS feed reader, the site you are on is guilty of stealing content.

Dear Clint and Angela

Jay Thompson — Fri, 23 Sep 2011 04:47:20 +0000

Clint and Angela –

You two are amazing human beings. I simply can not fathom going through all the shit you have both endured over all these months. People with your guts, attitude, character and spirit help restore my faith in humanity. You are both very very special people, I hope you realize that.

Whatever decisions you make in regard to Clint’s treatment plan, please know that a LOT of people have your back. We’ll support your decisions 100% and never, ever question you.

I wish I had the vocabulary and writing skills to properly express my respect and love for you both. I wish there was something I could do to help.

I’m sitting here feeling like I want to puke.

I am sad, and I am pissed off.

Not at you all of course.

I’m pissed that we can’t beat cancer into submission. It needs to be eradicated from the face of the earth.

I’m pissed that people, myself included, get angry and upset at stupid shit like changes to Facebook, dealing with morons at work, at the fucking *weather* of all things while amazing people such as yourselves are forced to deal with literally life and death decisions in the face of horrific odds.

I hate this fucking disease with a passion. I cannot begin to imagine how you feel about it.

Corny as it may be, the Rascal Flatts song embedded below came on the radio just a few minutes after I read the latest news about Clint’s prognosis. It pretty well embodies how I feel – it covers just a small part of what I wish I could do for you all.

I am here. We are here. We will not let go of you. There are people literally all across the planet hoping and praying for you. If there is ever anything — ANYTHING — I can do for you, please don’t hesitate to ask.

Godspeed Clint and Angela. Bless you both, and live strong.

Clint and Angela won’t ask, so I will. If you can help financially, please consider donating here. And if you believe in prayer, they sure could use plenty of that too…

Originally posted on Phoenix Real Estate Guy. If you are reading this anywhere but inside your RSS feed reader, the site you are on is guilty of stealing content.

Remembering 9/11: Ten — and Twenty — Years Ago

Jay Thompson — Sun, 11 Sep 2011 21:56:32 +0000

September 11th. It is a date etched in the memory of all of us. There probably isn’t a single date that evokes the emotion in our heart and soul like September the eleventh. Anyone reading this remembers where they were when they first heard the news ten years ago on September 11, 2001.

I suspect hardly anyone though could tell you where they were or what they were doing twenty years ago on September 11, 1991.

That was one of the most significant days of my life. Twenty years ago on September 11, I was in South Austin Hospital — completely freaking out that I was about to become a father for the first time.

I had no clue what to expect. There are no instruction manuals that come with babies. Heck, I’d never even witnessed the birth of anything much less the birth of a child.

I’m not sure exactly what was going thorough my head that day, other then wonder, awe, and a pretty healthy dose of, “Oh my God, what have we done and what were we thinking?” Mix in a lot of, “Can we afford this? Will I be a good father? What if he hates me? What if I don’t love him?” It was a crazy day!

The “What if I don’t love him?” question was answered at 6:35pm that evening. That is when my son, James Graham Thompson, III was born. Not to get all graphic on you or anything, but we made eye contact when he wasn’t even half-way out. At that moment I knew my fear of not loving this kid wasn’t going to be an issue.

I expected him to come out screaming bloody murder, but he wasn’t even whimpering.

“Shouldn’t they smack him on the ass or something?” I thought to myself. “Is he OK?” I said out loud. “Oh, he’s absolutely perfect!” a nurse said. “I’ve never seen a baby this alert and aware,” said the OB. “Why isn’t he crying? Shouldn’t he be crying? Are you sure he’s OK?”

“Here, hold your son. He’s fine. He’s perfect. Congratulations Daddy,” said someone.

And there he was, in my arms and I put him in the waiting arms of his mother, who had never looked so freaking gorgeous in all the time I’d known her.

Today, I can’t believe that beautiful, perfect, precious little baby is twenty years old.

Twenty. No longer a teenager. He’s a man now.

And he’s a hell of a man. I’m so proud of my son. Oh, we’ve had our moments, believe me. He is stubborn as he can be, and fiercely independent – always has been. He is also one of the brightest people I’ve ever known with a business mind that is second to none. I wouldn’t trade him for anything though, and I’m proud to call him my friend, and my son.

Ten years ago on September 11, we had plans. After all, turning 10 is a big deal! I remember sitting around with Francy on September 10 thinking, “Wow, can you believe James will be 10 years old tomorrow? Wow, time flies.”

I had no idea what else that day ten years ago would bring. There was no reason to believe it would be anything but just another Tuesday, with a special celebration for a special little boy

Francy woke me up very early that morning saying, “A plane just flew into the World Trade Center.” My first thought was, “How the hell can that happen? Even with a plane in distress, the odds of hitting a building have to be astronomical.” When I saw the images on TV, I turned to Francy and said, “That’s not an accident. That’s a terrorist attack.”

We watched in utter horror as the second plane hit. And then the Pentagon. Then the south tower collapsed. And then UA93 crashed in Shanksville. Then the north tower fell. It felt like we were living in the seventh level of hell, wondering what was going to happen next. I remember Francy and I looking at each other in disbelief, and wondering how we were going to explain all this to a ten year old and a seven year old.

I can’t recall what exactly we told the kids. I’m sure it was something about how there are some evil people in the world, but to not be afraid. I distinctly remember my son looking up at me and saying, “Daddy? Why did this have to happen on my Birthday?” He wasn’t being selfish, he was just a couple of hours into his tenth birthday, really his first “milestone” birthday. But he already knew that something very bad that would be forever associated with the date of his birth had happened.

“Daddy? Why did this have to happen on my Birthday?” How do you answer that question?

Ten years after that horrific day, we’ll remember all those that lost their lives that morning. We’ll never forget. We can’t forget. The magnitude of loss that day is still difficult to comprehend. This morning I participated in a memorial ceremony that included reading the names of all 2,996 men, women and children that were murdered that morning. It was gut-wrenching. Name after name after name was read. It took over three hours of non-stop reading to work through the list. There were names from many different ethnic and national backgrounds, entire families, children. I must have read 200 names and was glad I hadn’t broken down. Then I got a new batch of names and went back in line. As I’d done with my previous lists, I reviewed the names so I could do my best and pronounce them as best I could. That’s when I saw this on my name card: Sylvia San Pio Resta and her unborn child.

I got through Sylvia’s name OK, but saying, ‘… and her unborn child” was rather. . . difficult.

There was also a John Resta listed on my card, but I couldn’t be sure then that there was any relation. It wasn’t until I got home and searched that I found out John and Sylvia Resta were husband and wife, and she was seven months pregnant with their first child.

In one instant, an entire family with everything in front of them was snuffed out.

A list of names so long it takes hours to read.

So much more behind all those names. They were husbands, wives, mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters and friends. All had their lives in front of them. Most were just at work that Tuesday morning. Some were travelling. None could have possibly expected what would happen that day. Certainly none deserved what happened that day.

For the past ten years, September Eleventh has been a day of mixed emotions in our house. There is the sadness, and anger, that comes from remembering September 11, 2001. Those feelings are juxtaposed with the happiness in celebrating September 11, 1991. The easy thing to do would be to ignore the pain of ten years ago and focus instead on the happiness. But we cannot take the the easy way out. We cannot ignore 9/11/2001. We cannot ever forget. We will celebrate September 11, and we will remember September 11.

Here is a video of the end of today’s memorial ceremony at the Tempe 9/11 Healing Field. Both of these songs are poignant reminders of that fateful day ten years ago. Tonight we’ll be singing another song, celebrating that wonderful day twenty years ago.

Originally posted on Phoenix Real Estate Guy. If you are reading this anywhere but inside your RSS feed reader, the site you are on is guilty of stealing content.