Only a handful of events in most of our lives are true world-changers.

Since most of those events center on either war or some other tragic loss of life, we’re fortunate that we don’t experience more of these historic events.

This weekend, we mark the anniversary of one of those historic, horrific days — Sept. 11, 2001.

Few of us who were alive then will ever forget where we were and what we were doing when the first word of the attacks began filtering out.

Surprise and shock, at first, at what first appeared to be a horrible accident.

As the second jetliner pierced the second tower of the World Trade Center in New York, erupting into a fireball, we all realized the amazing images were not the work of fate, but of evil incarnate.

The surprise and shock turned to fear and then anger.

Time seemed to slow that day as horror after horror unraveled as our nation sat transfixed to television screens.

In the days, weeks, months and years since 9/11, our nation has been at war against terrorists.

Time has, in some ways, faded the sharpness of the memories and images our nation experienced following 9/11.

Hopefully, though time will never dull the American pride seen in the days shortly after 9/11, when the country came together as one and bathed the nation in red, white and blue.

America, we salute you.