Seven Years Onward

It's hard to believe that it's been seven years since the terrible events of September 11th. It doesn't seem like it was all that long ago. I can still remember with stunning clarity all the things that happened over the course of that day and though I wasn't intimately connected with anyone affected by the tragedy, the stunning events of that day have left an indelible mark on me and everyone else who stood witness to them. I don't know how far reaching the effects were outside our borders but here, I know the effect was profound.

But as the saying goes, "Life goes on" and it certainly has. We continue to live our lives and go about our usual routine. Maybe we're a bit more vigilant but when you stand on alert for a long time, when you finally stop seeing what it is that scares you, then you sort of relax and lull yourself into a false sense of security, and that is what I'm afraid may be happening now. No matter who you may choose to hold accountable for the events of that day seven years ago, the fact of the matter remains that by not remaining as vigilant as we could have, we suffered the loss of nearly 3,000 people in New York, Washington D.C., and a field in Pennsylvania. There have been countless more lives lost in the events since those days as well but the events which set all this in motion are to be commemorated today with the dedication of a new memorial at the Pentagon.

A small park with benches and reflecting pools representing all of the victims at the Pentagon will be dedicated today and already I can see some signs of the jaded emotions that some people feel compelled to display. What do I mean? Well due to the tension of the day and the desire to keep things safe, obviously security services have closed off some roads and avenues around the dedication site and naturally security is beefed up because no one wants a repeat of 2001 here today. What puzzles me are the people who come out and rant against these increased security measures or the minor inconveniences that pop up on occasion. Roads in and around the Pentagon will be closed for the day but that doesn't mean that we have to start complaining and ranting about a slightly longer commute.

For all the talk of "We will never forget" some people seem to have a very short attention span. Some ask whether it's worth spending time remembering and recalling the tragedy now that we have moved past it and are making efforts to prevent it in the future. I think that's the wrong stance to take because there's another famous saying which states that, "those who forget the past are doomed to repeat it." Now this strikes a very loud chord with me and I for one feel that ceremonies such as this are exactly what we need to remind all of us that though we may have some inconvenience now and then, it is supposedly for the greater good and for our common security to prevent events such as this from ever happening again. It's hard to get some people to understand that but hopefully they will. Routines are hard to start and easy to break. Maintaining our vigilance is one routine I hope we never break as a short lapse in it eventually led to the loss of 3,000 people in one day. I hope we never have to face that situation anywhere in the world ever again.