It’s been almost that long since Americans woke up to a frightening new reality, watching the twin towers of the World Trade Center topple into the streets of Manhattan after two jetliners crashed into them, the Pentagon smolder after being struck by another and heard the story of the brave passengers who thwarted terrorists on a fourth plane in Pennsylvania, giving their lives in the process.

Most of us remember exactly what we were doing on that Tuesday.

Still working as a photographer for our newspaper group, I had no morning assignments, so I slept a little late and by the time I got up and switched on the news, the first tower was already burning.

I guess it’s fair to say that nothing’s been the same for me since I flipped the switch on the TV to see the image of Tower One smoking and the poor souls jumping to their doom to escape the flames.

I’m afraid it hardened my outlook but then something happens to remind me what’s really important, like today, when I had the privilege of watching two happy parents fussing over their newborn while eating lunch at a local restaurant, oblivious to the pleasure their attentions to their baby gave bystanders.

That kind of joy will never change, no matter how many planes crash into buildings.

Fast forward to 2011 and the quickly-approaching tenth anniversary of the terrorist attacks and one wonders how the world would be different had the attacks not taken place.

But we’ll never know. Each moment flows from the moment before and try as we may, we’re always stuck in the present.

A couple weeks ago I wrote a tongue in cheek column about the still ongoing debt ceiling negotiations, if such a chaotic spectacle can be called negotiating. At the time, I fully expected some resolution or at least the prospect of one by this week.

That was evidently too much to ask, as the President and Congress are still hurling charges at one another about who is at fault for the lack of progress.

Maybe if they thought back to 10 years ago they would be able to concentrate on getting this rather distasteful job of raising the limit of the amount of money the nation is allowed to borrow raised and get to work on some serious plan to rein in federal government spending.

But I doubt it. Because what is really going on, as many have observed, is just part of the 2012 presidential campaign, the result of which will likely determine if the federal government continues to expand or sees its growth slowed, or, dare one even wish for it, reversed.

Returning to memories of September 11, like just about everyone, we’ll be thinking about doing some special stories about that terrible day as the anniversary approaches.

If you’d like to share your memories with us, start thinking back about what you were doing that sad morning and send us your story.