Make as much of a cushion as you can in the present and don't worry about the future. It's bought and paid for by your effort in the present.
You never worry and prepare for possible worst happening, such as 1929, 1987 and 2008, probably worser than 2001.
I was trading that day. Futures dropped a little on the first plane crash then squeezed back pretty hard. The 2nd plane hit about 15 to 20 minutes later. Futures re-tested the lows but it was nothing dramatic. I can't remember the exact time futures ever stopped trading but there have been far worst selloffs. Generally speaking these types of events are not near as troublesome trading wise as surprise monetary shocks. The Fed moves markets much more then terrorist attacks. In fact, we start rallying hard on all the attacks after 911.
I am NOT going to be addicted in gambling. Most likely, you will see such as 1929+1987+2008 at least once in your lifetime, as everyone does.
On 911, SP eminis were printing up until about 9:15 EST, then they just stopped. I though that I have a computer / internet connection glitch as the prices "froze" .... The there was a giant gap down when trading opened week later ...
Some people who had foreknowledge of the terror attack have profited from it: http://911research.wtc7.net/sept11/stockputs.html " Financial transactions in the days before the attack suggest that certain individuals used foreknowledge of the attack to reap huge profits. The evidence of insider trading includes: Huge surges in purchases of put options on stocks of the two airlines used in the attack -- United Airlines and American Airlines Surges in purchases of put options on stocks of reinsurance companies expected to pay out billions to cover losses from the attack -- Munich Re and the AXA Group Surges in purchases of put options on stocks of financial services companies hurt by the attack -- Merrill Lynch & Co., and Morgan Stanley and Bank of America Huge surge in purchases of call options of stock of a weapons manufacturer expected to gain from the attack -- Raytheon Huge surges in purchases of 5-Year US Treasury Notes In each case, the anomalous purchases translated into large profits as soon as the stock market opened a week after the attack: put options were used on stocks that would be hurt by the attack, and call options were used on stocks that would benefit. [...] The Bloomberg News reported that put options on the airlines surged to the phenomenal high of 285 times their average. Over three days before terrorists flattened the World Trade Center and damaged the Pentagon, there was more than 25 times the previous daily average trading in a Morgan Stanley "put" option that makes money when shares fall below $45. Trading in similar AMR and UAL put options, which make money when their stocks fall below $30 apiece, surged to as much as 285 times the average trading up to that time. When the market reopened after the attack, United Airlines stock fell 42 percent from $30.82 to $17.50 per share, and American Airlines stock fell 39 percent, from $29.70 to $18.00 per share. [...]"
Yes. I was about to leave the Amex at 86Trinity Place to walk over to the shopping mall under the old trade center to buy socks. When I was on the staircase to leave, the 1st plane hit. So, I stayed inside.