Reflecting on 9-11-2001

It was 2001, I was in the best shape of my life, and I was doing things I never thought I would do. Not like "Oh no I never thought this would happen to me," but "Holy crap, that was amazing!". I was out-running much younger people and out-shooting people from Kentucky and Texas. I was in bootcamp for the United States Army on 9-11!

Now it is 2025 and my "Army Birthday" is coming up. August 22 and 9-11 are two days I add to my calendar every year. 9-11 is now called "Patriot Day" and if I remember correctly, little kids will be wearing patriotic gear to school. When I was a teacher, I asked them "why are you all dressed like that?" They collectively said, "Even though it's a sad day, we don't want the terrorists to win out. We would rather celebrate the USA because we are still here as a country!" Those little kids are the future and a reminder that, maybe we are OK after all.

9-11, the Holocaust, the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, and now the Covid virus still lurking along with herpes virus and HIV (virus) are some of the things on my mind every year around this time. And who could forget Chernobyl? As a behavioral health specialist, I can't help but wonder how different our world would be if we weren't such assholes. I'm gonna stop there because this is just a little reflection!