09/11/2026
Twenty-five years ago, I was putting the final touches on our wedding plans.
We were getting married on the 22nd of September and at that time we were young, in love, and full of enthusiasm about starting our life together, with a honeymoon in Jamaica planned for us.
Then everything changed.
I was on the 13th floor of the tallest building in our city, which is the second largest in Indiana. While meeting with a client, I noticed a lot of commotion in the hallway.
People were talking and moving around, and the phones kept ringing.
To stay polite and professional, I excused myself from my client and stepped into the hallway. I thought about asking my colleagues to quiet down.
That's when I discovered what had taken place in New York.
I went back to my client and explained what was happening. We stayed for another 15 minutes before we were told to move to a lower floor.
The phone calls started coming in quickly. Family and friends wanted to make sure we were okay and to find out what was happening.
The uncertainty was overwhelming.
I needed a few minutes alone, so I went into the file room, closed the door, and tried to pull myself together.
I didn't want to panic.
I had to remain calm.
At that point, we only knew about New York. We hadn’t heard anything about the Pentagon or Flight 93 in Pennsylvania yet, and we didn’t realize how much bigger the situation would become.
All we wanted was to understand what was happening around us.
Even with all the uncertainty, I was still planning a wedding that was less than two weeks away.
We were then contacted by our travel agent.
Our honeymoon was cancelled.
At some point, our honeymoon plans were back on.
Her words were:
"I can get you to Jamaica. I just can't promise I can get you back home."
We were young and in love, and after everything that happened, we probably should have felt more afraid than we did. But we didn't care. From the start, we knew we wanted to get married and go on our honeymoon, so we did. It was great!
Now, twenty-five years later, I realize those moments affected much more than just my wedding plans.
They changed the way I think about life planning and how it has to coincide with financial planning. It became a passion.
We are taught that there are things in our lives which we cannot choose. But we can choose how well we prepare for the things we can control.
Financial Planning is about getting ready to live the life you want while keeping the people and things you care about safe.
Two years after I was diagnosed with cancer, it happened again.
Once again, life reminded me how quickly things can change and how important it is to have a plan in place.
Things like a Durable Power of Attorney, a Health Care Surrogate, a Will, or a Trust. A financial plan that considers not just your current situation, but also your future goals.
These aren’t things you only need to think about far in the future.
Taking care of these things is a key part of being responsible for your life, your choices, and your future.
After all, nobody knows what tomorrow will bring.
I never imagined I would learn that lesson twenty-five years ago, or years later be reminded again.
We can't control what life throws at us. But we can make a plan for the life we want and take steps to make it happen.
