A day to heal

On the eleventh anniversary of the most tragic event of the new millennium, take the time to appreciate those around you.

Every day, everyworking man, every working woman, and every child goes his or her own way for the day. Whether to school, work or the grocery store, everyone must part ways for even thebriefest time. Luckily, however, at the end of the day, families can reunite and friends can rejoice once again.

Today, many will remember how they spentSept. 11 more than a decade ago. Students will remember where they were in school when the teacher turned on the TV or when the principal called for a lockdown. Others,however, will remember the phone call that informed them that their mother or father wasnt coming home.

As horrific as Sept. 11, 2001, was, it should not becompletely thought of as a horror story. The mourning phase in American history is finally passing, and now the country can grow and heal.

If such a loss can teach us anything, it is to take every day as a gift. Begrateful for each day you live on this earth, because you may never know when it will be your last. On Sept. 11, 2001, thousands of loved ones were snatched from our lives thousands of
parents never to return home to their children, thousands of friends and relatives that would never again share a meal at the dinner table.

No one ever thinks about today being their last, because todays world is too busy for such pessimistic thoughts. It is true that such thoughts can sadden a day, but those thoughts should never be too far away, because it is a fact of life, and it should never be taken for granted.

Today on the anniversary, take a moment and just remind your loved ones that you care. Go home, hug your parents a little tighter. In class or at work, smile a little brighter. Dont forget to make someones life just a little happier. Even if it is just a quick phone call in the middle of a hectic day, it will still have an impact.

Immediately after the attack on the American spirit, citizens from everybackground came together to lift each other up. Many came to mourn, but more came to recover and lend a hand in any way they could. This anniversary should be remembered not only for its losses, but also for thesubsequent strengthening of the American spirit.

On this day, take time to appreciate those around you.

Alex Rosenthal is a freshmanmajoring in Classics.