I am not the same

I am not the same person I was September 10, 2001.

My nation is not the same.

I no longer marvel at tall buildings instead I wonder how fast they would fall.

I was afraid of flying, but had. Now I would need sedatives.

I was the only person in the house with a cell phone then.

I read about the first plane on Yahoo.


I saw the second on television.


Then the Pentagon was hit

The south tower collapsed


Flight 93 went down in Pennsylvania


The north tower went down


I cried alone at home

I am not the same person

America is not the same nation

9/11 changed everything and everyone.

I shall miss Steve Irwin.

Just knowing that he was somewhere on this planet, playing with orangutans or wombats or something that would try to bite him or more likely, fall under his spell, was reassuring. It meant someone was trying to protect the ugly, foul tempered, venomous beasties that most people would not.

I learned that Tasmanian devils are the cutest critters with the gnarliest vocalizations I ever heard.

And who knew that crocodiles were tender, passionate lovers who blew bubbles to entice a girly croc? What a charming way to woo a female anything!

I fell in love with wombats and camels and koalas and marveled at a mother croc gently carrying her babies to water in her huge jaws.

His passion for the animals seemed matched only by his passion for his wife. I envied his children growing up in a zoo and having wonderful adventures safely under their dad's watchful gaze.

Tom and I thought what a wonderful life Steve and Terri led, doing what they loved and what a sweet thing it was that so many other people seemed to think so too.

And now he is gone.