TACKLE Your Life: TACKLE the Memory of 9-11-2001 and the Last Day of Normal

Monday, September 10, 2001, the kids started their first full week of school. I had a busy day at work and collected the pile of bills that I needed to pay. My 20 year old son had a flying lesson at the local airport. He wanted to be a pilot. The next day was supposed to be a gorgeous day, so I decided I would play hooky.

On Tuesday I took the girls to the school bus stop and then I plopped on the Lazy Boy in front of the TV. I whipped out the checkbook and started to write checks and enjoy a day of peace.  However, September 11, 2001 would not be peaceful. This was the day the drums of war would begin to beat.

While balking at our electric bill, I listened to Katie Couric on the Today show talk about a commuter plane that hit the World Trade Center (the Twin Towers) in New York City.  The sky was clear and planes do not fly near skyscrapers. I thought of my son who would be flying a solo flight in the near future.

The Today Show had live coverage of the Twin Towers with a gigantic hole ripped through one of them. Suddenly, another plane, a jumbo jet, slammed into the other tower. I jumped out of my seat and stood in shock in front of the TV. Clearly, this was not an accident but a deliberate attack on the United States of America.

I retrieved my daughters from school. Next, the Pentagon was hit and then another plane was lost in air space. All planes were grounded. The neighbors huddled outside looking up in the air. I remembered that my son was working for a car company near the Pentagon.

Tires screeched in the driveway followed by my son bursting through the door.  He was a bundle of energy. During work near the Pentagon, he saw the plane coming in low in restricted air space. He knew it hit the building and rushed home before all hell broke loose in DC.    The experience clearly rattled him He joined the Air Force a few months later.

During the ten year anniversary of that horrific day, I compared these two time periods: September 10, 2001, the last day of normal, and now in 2011, living with change.

Then & Now: September 10, 2001 & 2011

Top Stories:

September 10, 2001:

Highlights included Chandra Levy missing for 133 days. Rep. Gary Condit, CA, denied having an affair with her. Actor Robert Blake was a suspect in the killing of his wife.

Most Americans were not interested in foreign relations and never heard of Osama Bin Laden. The 10/12/2000 US Naval Ship Cole bombing in Yemen was a distant memory. George W. Bush was the President with Colin Powell as the Secretary of State.

2011:

The country is suffering from a bad economy, high unemployment, and massive home foreclosures.

We are involved in war. Ten years later, my son is staying in the Air Force for a career. He has been deployed numerous times to Afghanistan and Iraq. One of our daughters has joined the Air Force and is still in intense training.

Barrack Obama is President and Osama Bin Laden was found and killed during his term.

Military:

September 10, 2001:

Most young men and women that joined the military signed up for training and education. Only 206,002 members of the military were deployed in 1999.

2011:

The United States military's recruiting numbers were record breaking after 9-11-2001. Deployment reached 387,920 in 2003.

Today's military is performing a tough job carrying out the orders of war.

Air Travel:

September 10, 2001:

Passengers skated past security checks in airports with little hassle. The biggest complaint about air travel was the food offered on board.

2011:

Passengers are searched, questioned and subjected to body scans. Luggage items are restricted and randomly searched for safety.

Security and Privacy:

September 10, 2001:

A copy of a birth certificate could be used as ID to come and go out of the USA. ID and social security numbers were not routinely verified.

2011:

Homeland Security was establish to protect our nation. Strict policies enforcing proper identification and verification were implemented for individuals coming in and out of the country.

The government steps up their ability to dig and research into our lives.

Schools:

September 10, 2001:

Children were taught to prepare for hurricane and tornadoes by hiding under desks and putting their heads down. This was the biggest threat while children were away from their home.

2011:

The youth of today grow up with terror alerts and lock downs in school. It is a part of their everyday lives.

Religion:

September 10, 2001:

Citizens of different religious backgrounds lived and worked together in America.

2011:

The terrorists who flew the planes into the World Trade Center, the Pentagon and later crashed in PA were radical Muslims. After September 11, 2001, the peaceful members of this religious group struggled to regain their reputation with fellow Americans.