Certainly our lives have been interrupted, even turned upside-down in innumerable ways. The sound of ordinary aircraft and unidentified plumes of smoke compel us to pause and ponder: Where will the next targets be? Parents hover near their children like mother hens. No longer routine, long-distance travel is tedious and fearsome.
As we put time between today and the September 11 terrorist attacks, there's a phrase I hear with increasing frequency: "It's time to get back to normal." But "normal" is not likely to come home any time soon.
Though September 11 didn't directly touch us through the loss of family or friends, our sense of "normal" has been upset all the same. For starters, our only living child is 21 years old, just right for military service. We don't see that as a negative, but it is another factor to figure into his equation for the future. And managing that with the today's is anything but settling.
And, should I rethink my own plans to retire from a job in a city high-rise and pursue another career closer to home? Would it be better to live in or relocate to the country–should terrorism get too close? Simple things, I admit, but the disappearance of "normal" has moved them to the foreground.
But there is second list–a lengthy one–of things "not normal" around our house these days.
We pray more intently and intensely than we did before. We pray for our leaders, for each other, for safety, for success today and wisdom for tomorrow. We observe that public expressions of cries to Almighty God for protection and preservation are more socially acceptable.
We make sure to say, "I love you" before leaving the house, even if it's just a trip to the grocery store. September 11 reminds us that coming home from even the normal routine of heading off to work should not be presumed.
We try to spend more time together; today may be the last chance we have. Other parents and children appear to be doing the same.
We are comforted to see our leaders unified in the common cause to preserve our heritage, freedom and future. Petty differences have been set aside.
Flags fly from homes and cars with the resuscitation of a long-dormant patriotism.
Compassionate action toward hurting, suffering people waxes strong over the "me first" mentality so prominent in boom times.
Bad things no longer happen only to the "other guy," for the graphic images of the Twin Towers help us easily project ourselves into his shoes–and walk a ways in them.
Don't misunderstand. I do long for increased predictability, for grieving to be resolved, for stability to re-enter the course of daily living. But with respect to this second list–this longer list–I must confess a hope that the "normal" I have known so well never returns. My life is better as it is.
Copyright 2001 James McAlister
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