The Way Life Goes
September 11, 2001. 911. The 11th of September. Elfsten Septembre. Whatever
you call it, it is a day that will live in infamy. No one will ever forget the
day that everyone�s lives were forever changed, along with the New York skyline.
Thousands of people were taken from us that day. The number is almost incomprehensible. My generation has never seen something this devastating. Especially not on American soil. Sure, we�ve seen terrorist attacks. The Oklahoma City bombing; the bombing of the World Trade Center in 1993; the embassy bombings in Africa; the bombing of the USS Cole. But none have been as horrible as the bombing of the World Trade Center on September 11. Never before have so many lives been taken from us at once. And, hopefully, it will not happen again.
When the towers fell, there was a mad rush all over the country to call loved ones. Had they been on the plane? Had they worked in the buildings? Had they been one of the thousands of rescue workers called to the scene? In the utter chaos that ensued, no one was sure. As darkness fell, the nation gathered around their television screens in hopes of hearing reassuring words from our President. Instead, we were told that America was at war. We would hunt down the responsible party and retaliate.
As I write this, that retaliation is taking effect. We have bombed Afghanistan. We have attacked the Taliban. In the process, we have changed the lives of the world. Americans now fear for their safety. Will Osama bin Laden strike back from the air? Or will it come from within, from his people that are already in the United States? Only time will tell.
The one good thing that I have seen come out of this is in relationships. Family members that haven�t talked in years are calling to make sure everyone is ok. Enemies are coming together. Perfect strangers are helping each other out. The only time that I�ve heard horns honking is when someone holds up a sign that says �Honk if you love America.� Americans are coming together like never before. Even the Republicans and Democrats are getting along better. We should enjoy it because it might never happen again.
In this time of uncertainty, the nation needs to stay together. We need to keep supporting each other and helping one another. We need to keep hope alive. If we do that, then we will have won. As President Bush said, �They can shake the foundations of our biggest buildings, but they cannot shake the foundation of America.� America was built strong. We will stay strong. We shall overcome.
I would like to extend my deepest sympathy to all of the families worldwide that lost people in the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, and Pennsylvania. The entire nation grieves with you.
I would like to leave you with a passage from the Book of Habakkuk. �O Lord, how long must I call for help before you listen, before you save us from violence? Why do you make me see such trouble? How can you stand to look on such wrong-doing? Destruction and violence are all around me, and there is fighting and quarreling everywhere. The law is weak and useless, and justice is never done� (Chapter 1, Verses 2-4).
God Bless America.
Copyright Kentucky Girl 2001