Editorial: Fateful day that changed everything

It's clear sad memories of September 11, 2001 will remain strong for many years.

We have a really good bunch of readers on our Facebook page.

They're quick to comment on posts that grab their attention - and they're such a diverse bunch their views on issues and events cover the spectrum.

You may be one of them. If so, thank you for having your say and giving us and the rest of our readers another view on what's going on around us.

Now and then we'll post a question that sparks a flurry of likes, shares and replies. In recent weeks examples have included a question about choosing midwives and a middle-of-the-night post after a series a small earthquakes.

It was heartening to see after and during the quakes, in the small hours, the way a growing group of locals came together on Facebook to question, vent, seek comfort and reassure strangers at a worrying time. What an amazing wee community.

Yesterday we pointed out it had been 12 years since the 9/11 attacks. The September 11, 2001, tragedy is one of those news events, one of those few lifetime moments where everyone above a certain age remembers where they were and what they were doing when they heard about it.

I have at least three such moments, including 9/11 (in my London flat watching TV), Diana's Paris crash (at the Mount) and the Edgecumbe quake (Form 4 maths with Mr Smith).

Our Facebook readers shared their memories, and it made fascinating reading. It may have been the middle of the night in New Zealand but many were up working or out and about. Others woke to the terrible news or found out at work or school.

As we're among the first to see the sun, today, September 12, marks 12 years to the day since many of you heard about or saw with horror news of this event that changed the world forever.

It's clear sad memories of that day will remain strong for many years.

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