Tuesday, September 12, 2006
The Day That Changed America Forever
Or Did It?
I know you all remember where you were That Morning when It happened. I was asleep when the first plane hit. My mother called me shortly before the second plane hit and told me to turn on the news and see what was happening. I, like millions of others, watched the second plane hit the South Tower. In the following days, weeks, and months, everyone from politicians to members of the media to pop stars told us that America had changed. America had changed, and life in America had changed. There was no turning back. This had been forced upon us. And things would never be the same again.
Fast-forward five years.
I still sleep in the same bed in which I woke up to the horror of people jumping from The Towers. I work in the family business much the same as before, though now we have a larger work load and more contracts. All my friends are pretty much either doing the same thing they were doing Then, or they are doing now what they had planned on doing five years after The Event.
The truth is, no, nothing has really changed. Yes, we’re in wars. Yes, gas prices are higher. But those are tangential changes. The core of America, of its people, and of its government basically operates the same now as then. We, for the most part, have the same values, the same desires, the same needs, the same pastimes. Simply put, it is not the “Different World” that we were told we would live in.
I don’t live in fear of terrorists, nor does anyone I know. Terrorism is way down our lists of concerns. We may be worried about our friends, brothers, sisters, fathers, daughters, mothers, cousins, aunts, and uncles getting shot at in the desert, the high plains, and the mountains, but we are not worried of being suicide-bombed on the way to Wal-Mart.
Frankly, I really don’t know whether this is good or bad that we’ve not taken up the yoke that had been so self-assuredly prophesied. I leave that question to you, my friends.
Also, if you feel that I’m wrong here, if you feel that America and/or the world has changed, I’d love to hear your opinion.
May God be with the familes of all those who lost their lives or their health five years ago. And may God be with our Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, and Marines who are living in danger everyday. And may they soon be brought home safely. Amen
Thank you for your time.
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Or Did It?
I know you all remember where you were That Morning when It happened. I was asleep when the first plane hit. My mother called me shortly before the second plane hit and told me to turn on the news and see what was happening. I, like millions of others, watched the second plane hit the South Tower. In the following days, weeks, and months, everyone from politicians to members of the media to pop stars told us that America had changed. America had changed, and life in America had changed. There was no turning back. This had been forced upon us. And things would never be the same again.
Fast-forward five years.
I still sleep in the same bed in which I woke up to the horror of people jumping from The Towers. I work in the family business much the same as before, though now we have a larger work load and more contracts. All my friends are pretty much either doing the same thing they were doing Then, or they are doing now what they had planned on doing five years after The Event.
The truth is, no, nothing has really changed. Yes, we’re in wars. Yes, gas prices are higher. But those are tangential changes. The core of America, of its people, and of its government basically operates the same now as then. We, for the most part, have the same values, the same desires, the same needs, the same pastimes. Simply put, it is not the “Different World” that we were told we would live in.
I don’t live in fear of terrorists, nor does anyone I know. Terrorism is way down our lists of concerns. We may be worried about our friends, brothers, sisters, fathers, daughters, mothers, cousins, aunts, and uncles getting shot at in the desert, the high plains, and the mountains, but we are not worried of being suicide-bombed on the way to Wal-Mart.
Frankly, I really don’t know whether this is good or bad that we’ve not taken up the yoke that had been so self-assuredly prophesied. I leave that question to you, my friends.
Also, if you feel that I’m wrong here, if you feel that America and/or the world has changed, I’d love to hear your opinion.
May God be with the familes of all those who lost their lives or their health five years ago. And may God be with our Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, and Marines who are living in danger everyday. And may they soon be brought home safely. Amen
Thank you for your time.
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