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Feb 16, 2003 I am getting ready for the impending attack. I have no doubt that there will be another terrorist attack. I have no doubt that I need to be ready. I have no doubt that I need to be prepared. I have no doubt that I need to be strong for the sake of my family. So, I am getting ready. How? By doing absolutely nothing different than I have been doing. I go to work. I come home. I cook supper. (At my house I am the cook.) I put our supper on the plates and I turn on Cartoon Network for the kids to watch while the wife and I watch TV in the living room. I write. I go to bed. The next day I get up and do it all over again. I am ready. This is the most important kind of readiness: resolve. One of the things that has always moved me is the pictures that you see of England during World War II. London would get bombed. In the picture you see a burning building. You see plumes of smoke rising from the shell of a recently blasted apart building. You see an obvious scene of terror. It's what you don't see that impresses me. You don't see scores of people running from the scene with looks of terror on their faces. You don't see people sreaming with their hands help up to their faces, paralyzed in fear. What you do see is activity. And lots of it. You see a fire truck and fire men hosing down the burning building. And you know that these firemen are taking their jobs seriously. They want to put the fire out. But you know something else too. You know that it is just a matter of days or hours before the building next to it will be blown apart. It does not matter though. Resolve, the resolve to continue life in a normal fashion, that is what matters. That is what is the mark of a great nation. Thomas Paine once said, "I love the man that can smile in trouble, that can gather strength from distress, and grow brave by reflection. 'Tis the business of little minds to shrink; but he whose heart is firm, and whose conscience approves his conduct, will pursue his priciples unto death." So, put down the duct tape and the plastic. Smile, be strong, remember past victories and be brave. Do not run away. Keep your mind made up to do what is right and know that it is right. Know that WE are right and that we, as a nation will succeed, and be ready to defend that "rightness" to death. Wesley Mills is a full time student and writing instructor at Empire State College in Rochester N.Y. He also does freelance editing and writing and has his own company, "Writng Resources" which helps writers of all genres to write better and also does "book doctoring" and editing of all types. Email Wesley Mills: wmills1@rochester.rr.com ------------ Comment on this column in the forum. ------------ |
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