My Thoughts on 9/11

Eight years ago today, I was stunned--like the rest of America. The news of the attacks hit me pretty hard, as I was leaving for my mission 2 month later. My thoughts of security were smashed to pieces and it took me a few weeks to regroup. But, honestly, leaving this country so soon after 9/11 was a great benefit for me because I learned why America is so wonderful and worth preserving.

When I left for the Baltic States, I didn't realize how fortunate Americans are. We can enter most countries in the world with nothing more than a passport. Other nationalities have to obtain residence visas before they can even put one finger over the border. As an American, I was allowed to stay and travel freely for 90 days before a residence visa was required.

Living in a post-communist country, I have seen first-hand the effects of a people that turn their ability to choose over to the government. You eventually lose your individual ability to make a choice. Any choice. People I spoke with on a daily basis described to me how their jobs were selected for them, how their class was determined for them (no chance to improve), and how they were required to purchase even household items according to their class. I was never so grateful for the chance we have in America to both succeed AND to fail--according to our choices. Many of the older generation I spoke with who had lived the majority of their lives under such restriction really didn't know how to make choices.

I am grateful to live in a country where I can practice the religion of my choosing. And, that there are no government-mandated punishments for doing so. As a missionary, religion was my topic of choice. I spoke with many people who, in public places, would not discuss religion above the tone of a whisper. Again--carry over from a time when religious choice was disallowed. But, here, if I so choose, I can shout my belief in Jesus Christ, in the Book of Mormon, and in a living prophet. What a blessing.

I am also grateful to live in a country where I make decisions about my family size. I think about restrictions on families in other countries--my first 2 children are darling girls. I would not give either of them up for the WORLD and I'm glad that my government doesn't tell me that I should. Having just welcomed our third child into our family, I'm grateful that I have the ability to choose whether we'll have 1, 5, or 20 kids.

There are so many blessings we have living in America. Even our poorest areas are blessed beyond the poorest in other countries. We truly don't realize how fortunate we are. To anyone who would like to disagree with these thoughts, I appreciate that you have the choice and the freedom to do so. I hope you also appreciate that freedom.