Has it been 3 years already?

For more than 25 years, I was what the airline industry calls a frequent flyer. Not only was I a frequent flyer, but I was also an impatient flyer. If the trip that I was planning to take was more than four hours away, I would fly. I wanted to get there in a hurry.

I've changed. I now do almost anything to stay away from airports. Not because I don't like flying, but because of what I have to go through to get on the plane. I dislike the fact that you have to show up almost two hours before your flight, show all kinds of documents and then be subject to almost a strip search before being allowed entrance to the departure gate.

Recently, I had to put myself in check while preparing to board a plane. I had to realize that all of these safety precautions are for my benefit. These procedures came into effect because of what happened on Sept. 11, 2001. Had I become so caught up in my own likes and dislikes that I had minimized what this is all about?

How could I forget what I saw on that day? How could I forget the persons who were murdered on that date? How could I forget the innocent lives that were sniffed out? Husbands became widowers, wives became widows, parents became childless and children became parentless because of what happened on that September 11 -- and it only took a moment. I had to become resigned to the fact that our lives can turn upside down in a moment.

We will be observing the third anniversary of this horrendous act this weekend. I pray that we will not let this day go by without remembering those persons who died on that day. I pray that we will pray for the survivors as well as those firemen, policemen and emergency personnel who sacrificed their lives and many who live with the horror and nightmare of what happened.

September 11th is a day that changed America forever. We should not complain just because we have to make a few minor adjustments and experience a little difficulty just to make this land that we love a safer place.