Before September 11th 2001, we were the lucky generation. For us, war, death, and destruction was a video game, an exciting movie, or at most a swift military campaign sanitized by the filters of the media. World War II and Korea were before our time and our connection with the Vietnam War came from movies like Platoon and Apocalypse Now.
I remember watching the planes hit the towers that morning. I remember watching in amazement, thinking of the death and destruction. What didn’t occur to me on that day is how it would change our generation forever. September 11th was the day Generation X grew up. Before that day we were perceived as unappreciative slackers who were cynical of the government, defied tradition, and lived this life with nothing but our own self interest in mind.
Today, however, we are a generation who has, and will continue to sacrifice so much. Not just in the deaths of over 5,000 of our friends, brothers, and sisters in the ensuing conflicts, but in the millions of lives that have been altered in the wake of September 11th. We are no longer assured a life of safety and prosperity. I guess it never was a guarantee, not for any generation, but now the reality of such a life seems so far away.
It has been said that these uncertainties and struggles are what molds a great generation. I hope that is the case, because the reality of being blown up has a funny way of sapping the collective potential of a generation.
Here are some pictures I took this evening of the Twin Tower lights.
Comments
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Beautifully done—I am very proud !!!