I'll Drink to That. Twice

I’ll Drink to That. Twice
Steve Chapman writes today about terrorism, fear, and the return to normalcy. Three key grafs:

I had time last Sunday to do all sorts of things. I read the newspapers, finished painting a bedroom, went for a run, got some photos developed, talked to my parents on the phone, and drove various offspring of mine to places they needed to go. But in that entire 24-hour period, I didn’t spend a single second thinking about terrorism.

Writing about this stuff every day, I haven’t had that moment yet. But I hope you readers have. It’s not that I fear for myself or my family, but there is that constant, nagging concern that New York or LA is still in danger.

But Monday marks the six-month anniversary of the attacks, and six months is a long time. A few weeks ago, when we all worked ourselves into a tizzy over the outcome of the pairs figure skating competition at the Salt Lake City Olympics, it became undeniable that life in America could indeed return to normal–and had. We had the luxury once more of worrying about things that would have seemed grotesquely inconsequential on Sept. 12.

Six months. Wow. Chapman is onto something here. I think I need to pause and relax and enjoy my weekends more.

We’ve learned in the last six months that life can return to normal. We should also have learned that the way to preserve normality is to never take it for granted.

Amen.