Like every adult out there, I remember exactly where I was and what I was doing on September 11, 2001 when I first heard news of the catastrophic terrorist attack on America.

I was feeding my firstborn breakfast when my husband called. All he said was “Turn on the news.” I immediately went to the TV and turned it on to watch in horror as they showed the first plane hitting one of the tallest buildings in the world. Moments later a second plane hit its twin.

Watching the events of that day unfold was as haunting a day as I’ve ever experienced and woke me up in the middle of the night for weeks. Clear across the continent in the safeness of my own city of Vancouver, I could only imagine the horror, the grief and the pain of the thousands of people who lost their lives, and those who had lost their loved ones.

Ten years later it’s still hard to fathom that day actually happened, even though we’ve all felt the enormous effect it’s had on North America and our world in general.

So much has been written about 9/11 and will continue to be written for years to come. I will read much of it and watch the tributes and talk to my children about it when they come home from school with their questions again this year. But rather than succumb to the sadness and grief that befell the beautiful city of New York, I will honor the memory of 9/11’s victims by simply feeling gratitude for my own life and doing my best to live it to its absolute fullest.

It’s something I try to do daily and don’t always succeed.

People who read my column often remark on my “sunny disposition.” But, like everyone, I can get grumpy too. I can feel overwhelmed, sad, irritated and even downright depressed by the pressures and challenges of everyday life, and I have to work on changing my attitude. When tragedy strikes we are reminded of how precious life is, and how important it is never to take it or anything we have for granted.

“Worse things than 9/11 happen all over the world,” one of my friends said to me recently. “It’s just because this happened in America that it’s been made into such a huge deal.”

Comparing atrocities isn’t something I’d ever want to entertain. Yes, horrific things happen all over the world on a daily basis, and anyone who’s ever read or watched the news knows that. And hearing those stories is bound to have an emotional impact on us.

When I was younger, the misery of others could debilitate my ability to feel happy. Now that I’m older it still can, but I don’t allow it to because I learned that my misery won’t help anyone. Least of all me.

Life is a gift. And being grateful for everything we have is what we owe it.

To honor the victims of 9/11, I asked some people how they remind themselves to be grateful when life gets rough. Click on the TV at www.onabrighternote.ca to hear what they had to say.

Lori Welbourne is a syndicated columnist. To contact her or watch her videos visit www.onabrighternote.ca.