It was twelve years ago today, and I can still remember the exact moment the first airplane hit the World Trade Center. I spent that entire day glued to the television watching every detail of the day’s events unfold. It was like time stood still. 9/11 affects every American in one way or another, and with that, I think it’s important to reflect on what we have accomplished in the past 12 years. I’m not talking politics, military or foreign relations – for me, I like to reflect on my personal accomplishments and the professional achievements the communications industry has gained. Over the last 12 years, I have been fortunate enough to graduate high school and college, marry an amazing man and build our dream home, have a beautiful son and thrive in a career I am truly passionate about.

12 years, in leaps and bounds

While 2001 seems like it was just yesterday, the communications industry has successfully grown leaps and bounds. The days and months following 9/11, most of the information we received about recovery and rebuilding efforts came directly from media outlets. While we were fortunate enough to have 24 hour coverage, we were forced to only hear the messages the media selected. Fast forward to today, and we have blossomed into a country that thrives on information sharing via blogs, social media and citizen journalism.

In 2001, there were only a handful of blogs in existence and the term “blogging” was far from our vocabulary. Social media sites Facebook and Twitter weren’t even created until several years later. Eyewitness accounts were only offered via an interview with a reporter. With these tools now in existence, our country has the ability to streamline communication in a way that not only allows multiple outlets to share their experience, but also instantaneously.

I think back to the how crucial our country needed to find ways to communicate quickly, accurately and effectively and am grateful to see how far we’ve come. Technology has given individuals a large voice to convey their perspective to the masses. I am grateful to be a part of this generation of communication, and ultimately, have gained an incredible amount of appreciation for life and how lucky I am to live it. I’m sorry for those who had that opportunity taken away 12 years ago.