Friday, September 9, 2011

A New World

As I look to the future with twins, tonight, I am thinking about the past.  This weekend is the 10th anniversary of September 11th and I live in New York City.  I woke up today to a city on edge.  Road blocks and police everywhere because of a new terrorist threat.  As I left my office downtown, I looked up and saw the rising towers of the new world trade center and had a moment of both pride and fear.  The fear was not for me but for my unborn children.  What kind of world will they grow up in?  How can I protect them from an unknown enemy?  When I got off the subway and checked my email I was greeted with an email with a subject of "concern".  It was from my mother.

It made me think that a parent never stops worrying about their children.  Being far away, she was feeling helpless as she watched the news about a new threat in the city where her son lived.  I called when I got home and tried to reassure her that my wife and I were ok and that the city was safe despite the media attention.  Her response, "It is my job to worry." 

What is my job as a father to be?  How am I supposed to protect my family in an uncertain world?  Tonight, I will go to sleep and say a prayer for those who died ten years ago and for the friends and family who still mourn.  I will pray for those who's lives changed forever that day and I will pray that I will be able to protect my family. 

Most of all, I will celebrate life this weekend.  My life, my wife's life and the the future life of my children. 

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