It was almost 10 years ago when life as we all knew it, took a turn. 10 years. How has it already been that long? They say you’ll never forget where you were when that September 11th morning went terribly wrong. It’s true… I was in San Diego getting ready to go to my morning classes. I remember feeling so sad and so scared of what was going to happen next. In the last 10 years, I will admit that there are times that I “forget” about things happening overseas. It’s impossible to live a healthy and happy life if thoughts were constantly about war, death and devastation. That being said, I can say that in the last 10 years I have had a constant feeling of uncertainty and fear when I hear the name Osama Bin Laden. When I see his picture, I instantly get a knot in my stomach and have to look away. 

Tonight that fear is gone. I can look at his picture and know he is no longer a threat to me, my family, my friends, my country. He is dead. I hate the word “dead”. I hate when someone says, “oh, they’re dead.” Seems so inhumane and cold. Until now. BIN LADEN IS DEAD. Feels good, doesn’t it? He was shot in the head… after a firefight. It wasn’t something he didn’t see coming. I can only hope that he sat there, realizing this was it for him. That after all these years, we got him. His reign of terror was over… in that moment. And I hope he felt scared and lonely. I hope he was shaking. I hope he pleaded for his life. I hope he prayed. I hope he cried. And I hope when the first tear fell, they aimed that gun and fired. I hope it was terrible for him. I hope his loved ones watched. I hope they screamed and cried. I hope they live the rest of their lives with the visions of his death in their minds… just like so many people here had to do after the images and descriptions of 9/11 came out. I hope it was a fucking nightmare for them that they will re-live over and over and over. Karmas a bitch. 

Watching the celebrations happening all over the country make me feel so unbelievably proud to be an American. I love my country. I love my President. I love the service men and women that keep us safe. I love that my baby is going to brought into a world Osama Bin Laden is not a part of. 

Tonight I am thankful for so many things.