The "day after" September 11

One of the biggest decisions I’ve ever made in my life occurred on September 12, 2001.

I knew that there would be so many posts yesterday about the tragic events of 9/11.  I spent much of yesterday night glued to the TV with a box of Kleenex. I prayed for all the people that lost loved ones that day.  I had to change the channel when they ran the voicemail messages from the people on flight 93.  It really broke my heart. 

I didn’t know anyone who lost their life in the attacks.  I’m very thankful for that.  However, the events did have a real impact in my life. 

In September of 2001 I was just a few weeks out from getting married…. to a commercial airline pilot. 

Mr. Lipnitz is a pilot for one of the major airlines.  At the time, I was a National Director of Sales for a very large company.  I traveled 80% of the time for business and I was miserable.  I could be in 4 different cities across the country in one week.  I was a very frequent flyer. I logged more air miles in 2001 than my husband did, and the last business trip I ever went on ended on September 10^th, 2001.

So I’m guessing that you know where this story is heading. 

The 9-11 attacks really put me back on my heels.  Not just because the utter shock and sadness, but because of the reality I was about to face.  I was about to marry a man who had spent 15 years of his life sacrificing for his passion…. flying.  If you know a pilot, you know that flying is in the fabric of their beings.  As afraid as I was, I knew that my soon to be husband would NEVER consider leaving flying.  I was going to have to learn to manage my fear. 

I couldn’t stand the idea of both my husband and I constantly being in the air.  Even worse, stuck in different parts of the country, far away from home.  For me to stay sane, one of us needed to be here in Michigan on a more regular basis.  I had always been a trepidatious air traveler and I knew that I was the obvious candidate to make a change.  As I mentioned, I was not happy at my job but had always stayed because of the “golden handcuffs”.  In my heart I knew that even if my employer added a zero to my salary, I just couldn’t do it. My days of business travel were now over.

So on September 12, 2001, I resigned from my BIG TIME, GROWN UP JOB.  I had decided that I was going to pursue a career in residential real estate.  I had always thought about it, but was too worried about giving up the financial security of a consistent paycheck.

Five years later….

I’m still married to a commercial pilot.  I still worry about his safety all the time.  That hasn’t gotten any easier.  Professionally, I am happier now than ever!  My worst day selling real estate is better than my best day in the corporate world.  I have NEVER, not once, regretted the decision I made.  I’m a Realtor… it’s in the fabric of my being.  It just took something so tragic for me to figure it out.