Today is September 11. It's a date on the calendar that took on a horrific significance six years ago. No need to recount the details. We all know what happened. If you think about it for too long, it makes your heart ache.

This September 11 was remarkably uneventful for me. I got into the office early and dove into a long to-do list. I swung by the deli downstairs first and picked up some oatmeal. The woman who works at the deli is one of those special people who clearly puts a lot of pride in her work and seems to genuinely enjoy serving her customers. She was as pleasant as she always is. I'm grateful for that. I made significant progress on a difficult search thanks to some excellent research provided by my assistant, Kristin. I'm grateful for that. Someone I placed nearly a year ago called to let me know that she's setting new sales records for the company. She didn't have to call, but she thought I would want to know she's succeeding. I'm grateful for that. I had a problem with email today (every time I deleted an email, it reappeared in my in-box as an unread item). Our IT guy, Lyle, helped me solve the problem in his usual calm and reassuring demeanor. I'm grateful for that. I went for a run when I got home and stretched on my deck as I watched the sun set over Puget Sound. I live in a beautiful part of the world. I'm grateful for that. While I showered, my husband cooked us dinner. He's experimented with Southeast Asian cooking and he's quite good at it. I'm really grateful for that.

This September 11, was like any other day for me. On any other day, I wouldn't probably give much thought to the uneventful events that made up this day, but when contrasted against the events that occurred six years ago, the uneventful nature of this day make it remarkable. It's a good reminder, that there is a lot for which to be grateful in the course of an ordinary day.

This post is dedicated to my friend, Robert, a World Trade Center survivor. I'm especially grateful for you.