I can still remember (as I'm sure a lot of people can) exactly where I was on September 11, 2001. I sat in my desk in Ms. Henson's Spanish 2 class, eyes glued to the television screen in disbelief. It was the first time in my 14 years of life that I witnessed a terrorism attack up close and personal. I watched the 2nd plane hit Tower 2 of the World Trade Center and started sobbing. I watched as the skyline of the city I loved so much, that I grew up dreaming of living in, crumbled to the ground. I felt so affected by it all partly because of the connection I've always felt with the city, but also because I had no idea where half of my family worked and if it was anywhere near the World Trade Center. Fortunately, no one close to me was killed that day, but that didn't change the closeness I felt to the situation. So many other people weren't as lucky as I was.
Over the decade between now and then, obviously A LOT has changed. Not just within myself, but also in everyday life. My generation has never known anything other than post 9-11. Our lives completely changed that day. Airport security, terror threat levels, anthrax, were suddenly routine vocabulary.
Early this morning, when I happened to not be able to fall asleep, I picked my lap top back up and checked Facebook to see if anything had changed in the hr since I had tried to go to bed. All I can say is thank goodness for social networking because I don't have cable at my house and I would've never had a clue about what was going on. As I started reading everyone's statuses, I felt all those emotions from 10 years ago come flooding back. Subconsciously, I think I might have been resolved to the fact that bin Laden was hiding out in a mountain cave in a remote location, never to be found. It wasn't really at the forefront of my mind anymore. But really, watching the live webstream on MSNBC as Obama made the official announcement was worth getting 2 hrs less sleep on a week night.
It's been a long time since Americans have felt this pride and unity in our country, and it's something I feel many of us desperately needed. In the midst of all the war, the economy, the natural disasters, to know that there is justice and this world took one giant leap in fighting the war against international terrorist organizations, gives me a sense of hope and relief.
The thing is, this isn't just about America to me, it shouldn't be, because that's a selfish thought. First and foremost, this is about the troops (not just American but all of our allies as well) who have fought and even sacrificed their lives for this cause. As most who know me are well aware of, I'm extremely passionate about international relations; a direct result of the time I've spent living, studying, and working abroad. When I studied in Sweden in 2008, I was exposed to people from every corner of the world, people who would never have known otherwise. Initially, it seemed as if we had nothing in common, but over time, a lot of those people became some of the friends I hold nearest and dearest to my heart still to this day. That semester opened my eyes to things I never would've understood otherwise. It challenged the opinions and views I had formed over my life, and demonstrated to me just how small I was something so big. It was also the first time I dealt with prejudice when I faced an Iranian man on the street in Sweden who spat at mine and my 2 American friend's feet and told us he hated us. That for me was a game changer, it made me realize a lot.
I felt enlightened and extremely grateful for the opportunity I had to live overseas. The experiences I had and the people I met while there are SO important to me because they made me who I am today. I wish I could better put into words the effects it's had on me. One thing I've taken away from it is that despite any of our differences- whether it be race, nationality, religion, sexuality, etc. doesn't take away from the fact that we were all put on this earth together. We are one part of this giant community. Forgive me if I'm naive, and a dreamer, but come on.. why can't we just all accept differences as what they simply are; different upbringings, different backgrounds, different cultures, traditions, and perspectives. By not living peacefully and accepting and respecting each other's differences, we're only going to self-destruct. It will do no good to fight, be disrespectful, and be hateful to each other. Especially when the majority of the time, it's because of misunderstanding or difference in opinions. It just frustrates me so much, especially when there are so many people I care about all over the world that are so different than me, but they aren't different at all.
And that's why today is such an important day in history to me. Although the war on terrorism is nowhere near over, I feel a renewed sense of hope, pride, and unity, not just in the U.S. but with the international community as well. I truly believe peace and compromise is attainable.
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