It's that time of September again when the eleventh is a day to be mourned by the entire country. I was only two when the attacks on the World Trade Center, Pennsylvania, and the Pentagon occurred; obviously too young to remember anything from the day or what the country was like before the attacks.

If you ask almost anyone about where they were the morning of and what they were doing when they found out about the planes crashing, they could tell you exactly what they were doing. This is just one way that shows the extent of the damage done on the country. Not only has this terrorist attack effected thousands and thousands of families who lost loved ones or knew someone who was in the Twin Towers, or on the planes or in the Pentagon or who was a first responder, but it has affected the country as a whole. It tore the country apart and brought the country back to being united.

Being too young to even remember the day at all, I of course do not remember what the country was like prior to the attacks. Although I do know that there has been a drastic change since then. The TSA was put into place in airports following the attacks, so there are much stronger safety precautions taken whenever traveling anywhere, and Americans are always on alert.

Post 9/11 has basically been my life since I was born. Yes, I was alive when the attacks occurred, however I have no recollection of what life was like before that. My life has been terrorist attacks and mass killings all over the world, including the United States. Whenever I sit down in a movie theater I look for the emergency exits and how close I am to the aisle, worried someone is going to come in with a gun. When visiting New York or other major cities it has to be said to watch out for suspicious activity, that if a backpack is sitting on the sidewalk to stay away and to bring it to an adult's attention. Before 9/11, this was never a concern. I live in a world now where parents send their children off to school each day afraid that they may get a phone call that their children are in danger. I live in a world where athletes have to worry about crossing a finish line, afraid they could be injured, or worse killed. Those who identify as homosexuals cannot go out and enjoy a night because they could potentially be attacked by a terrorist.

September eleventh was one of the first major terrorist attacks on the United States and marked a day in history that would never be forgotten; that would forever change our country. Post 9/11 is how I have learned the United States to be, how I have grown up. I wish that I knew what life was like before this tragic event, but sadly, all I know is living in fear that another major attack could happen at any time in the future.

My heart goes out to all the families and friends effected by the events that took place on this day sixteen years ago.