9/11

I don't want to spend a lot of time talking about what I did today as today holds more significance than any of my daily happenings. Basically did the usual Sunday thing: Church, Lunch, Lawn... same ol' same ol'. Played poker at my friend Bill's co-worker Susan's house. (Wow. that was a lot)... Got second to this new guy named Joe. Had maybe even stacks... on one hand I had a jack/eight. The flop was two 8's and a jack. Full house. The turn I can't remember, I think it was a King. The river was another 8. Four 8's. He had a King/something, so he had a full house, but didn't realize it. Basically he folded when I went all in. Bummer.

Playing with new people is a tough thing to do. Especially people who really don't know how to play all that well. Eh. Enough of that...

I woke up early today. I've been a little anxious this whole week. The first week of a freshman in high school is filled with some uncertainty, getting used to seven periods, meeting new people... I got ready for school and walked downstairs.

The TV was on. Fox News. A terrible thing has happened in New York. On the screen, shots of the World Trade Center. A plane has been hijacked and flown into the building. All the people on the plane are feared dead. Wow.

I got to school. First period. We talk about the news and pray for the people involved. Intercom comes on... another plane has been crashed into the second tower.

What is going on?

School goes through as normal. I get home and find out that the towers have collapsed. The news keeps replaying home made videos of people running, covering their heads with their briefcases, coated in dust. Other clips are shown from earlier in the day. People are jumping out of the building. Screams are heard everywhere.

Is this real?

It seems like a scene from a disaster movie.

I can't believe what's happening. People are dead. People are dying. Tons are injured. Children have lost mothers and fathers. Others have lost their significant other. Parents have lost their children. And all this happened in the course of one school day.

Eight hours. Lives changed forever. Things are not the same.


What do I do in eight hours? What am I doing with my time now? Someone could be dying right now. Another could be losing their father. Maybe another could be mourning the loss of a child as I'm typing this.

Is this all random? Well to us, I suppose so, since we don't know when any of this would happen. When is it my time? There's been rumors of a planned terrorist attack on Los Angeles tomorrow. I live an hour from LA. What if tomorrow is my last day on earth?

Am I ready for what's to come? Have I done all that I've wanted to do? What am I ashamed of? What am I proud of? Did I make a difference? Are people different because of me? Or have I hurt people?

I've been thinking a lot about this recently. The people at the World Trade Center; the people on the airplanes; the families of those who died... they had no idea what September 11, 2001 was about to become.

The people in Louisiana. No Clue.

Those in India... No Idea.

Death is something to be in awe of. It's a very powerful thing.

I'm hoping that I learn from these people who have lost their lives recently in the hurricane and also four years ago in NYC. What was it like for them the minutes before their death? Did their life flash before their eyes? Did they look back on everything they did and see victory? or did they see defeat.

I hope it doesn't take death staring me in the face for me to examine my life. By then, It'll probably be too late. I want to look back on my life and see victory.

It's too bad we make mistakes. But eh, I guess without them we would never know what perfection truly is.

I'm working on my life. I'm am far from perfect... and I don't know if I want to be perfect. Man, this sure is confusing stuff. But I guess that's life.

Meh.

What if there was no light
Nothing wrong, nothing right
What if there was no time
And no reason or rhyme

Cy

Categories: Thoughts, Poker