I was having such a good day. Smiling as I strolled along, there was literally a skip in my step. I was happy to enter the classroom, looking around at my fellow classmates, curiously wondering what knowledge we would soak in during today’s lecture. I sat in a new seat because after all, they are not really assigned! And you know what I got? A scoff and glare from the girl sitting next to me, as she proceeded to switch seats.

I know, right? Rude. Whatever was shoved up a certain anatomical area of her body must have been sideways.

Whatever the case, I think that certain individuals have trust issues. Let me rephrase that, I think that all people have trust issues. In today’s society, we are taught about stranger danger and not to go looking for any candy, specifically being doled out from vans: to be weary of every situation and every person who passes us by. Although most students aren’t quite as uptight as to scope out every person they pass, security is an important aspect of life, and many do not fully appreciate this right that they are often granted until it is missing.

On Sept. 11th, 2001, the United States was, as you all should know, attacked. Little did I, a youngster at the time, know that these clips that I thought were movies, killed roughly 3,000 people. Schools sent children home, hoping that the bombings would cease and that their homes and families would be safe: the nation was in panic mode, and the security of every single individual living in the U.S. was at risk, unstable, and wary at best.

This past summer, my boss recounted a story about a friend that he had acquainted himself with over the past couple of years. Moving from the Middle East to the United States, every day he would kiss his wife and son goodbye, hoping every single day that it wouldn’t be the last time, although it was definitely a possibility, and after moving here, he was cautious of the neighborhood that his family had moved into. Even going to the grocery store, at first, was a challenge. But after a while, he got used to the safety that this new environment provided, no longer kissing his wife and son goodbye every day. In a sense, he began to take for granted what was most important to him simply because he was given security.

We don’t think about it often, but we’re pretty lucky to be able to say that we can walk around and live with a feeling of invisible comfort. Now that I think about it though, everyone is not calm; there are some really paranoid people out there. But see, now I’m going off topic and onto what could be a lengthy rant. So what’s new? All of my articles seem to be like this. Well, have a good day. Be nice.

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