I wrote this on 9-11-02 as a Junior in High School...

One year, One Nation

One year later… and the world still turns. The nation that was on the brink of chaos is still united under one nation… one flag…one dream. The old times are returning, with people getting their lives back in order. The nation watched American Idol, and the MTV Video Music Awards, as they would have, if this event had not occurred, but there will always be something different. The one thing that will never be the same, is the gaping hole in our souls, and our pride. Nobody will ever be the totally the same again.

On that day, one year ago, our world was supposed to change. Our pride was to be broken. Our indivisible nation needed to be divided. The terrorist’s attempt to change our nation succeeded. We were a nation of prideless patrons and became a nation of flag flyers. The affects of a year, allowed our nation to realize we should be proud of our freedoms and civil liberties.

We cannot dwell on the past, or attempt to change what happened. Nothing could have been done to prevent this event. Simply remember all those lost, and give a prayer to the people most directly affected by September 11th. Do not cry for the buildings, but weep for those who were lost. The buildings can be replaced, but anyone who lost someone will never be able to see them again.

We will rebuild, with new designs and safety precautions. We will heal, but not fully. We will win the war on terrorism, and make the world safe again. We will never forget what we almost lost, but will remember what we gained. We as individuals will go on with life as we did before, but we will remain one nation.