The Net Effect of 9/11

On 9/11 I was weeding a garden in front of the Hay Scales Exchange for a landscaper friend that had more weeding work than he could handle. I had the radio on and was listening to music when I heard the news.

Like millions of others around me I reached out to my husband who had been working near his parents’ house and had gone there to watch the news; I needed to hear his voice. I briefly thought of running to the school to pick up my kids and hug them tight, but I knew that wouldn’t be the right thing to do. Uncertain as to the reaction at the school though, I went home and turned on the news and waited for them to come home. I cried for those families that lost loved ones and I mourned those lost.

In the days that passed I learned that friends and family were emerging safe and sound, though there was a near miss; my brother and some of his family were scheduled to be on one of those planes but changed plans.

A month later I took my family to New York City to visit some dear friends. We walked from one end of the city to another. At every turn, it seemed there was some sign of the enormity of what had happened. A theme emerged as we were walking by Ground Zero. I saw through the memorials a resolve, almost a promise, to be strong.

The goal of the attack on our nation was to make us cower in fear, not just one day, but every day. The people that intended that for us clearly underestimated the American People. While we have made changes in our lives as a result of that day, the changes we have made are minor for the most part. And while I’m not certain that all of our military actions have been imperative, I stand behind every soldier we have asked to take action on our enemies and to keep us out of harm’s way.

One thing that I firmly believe is that we the people have not allowed the tragic events of 9/11 to define us. We have resolved to live our lives as we were intended to, free of tyranny.