Living in Jersey, I'm still faced with the day-to-day realities of what happened in Lower Manhattan, Pennsylvania, and the Pentagon five years ago last month. Like others around me, I know -- from one to three degrees of separation -- many who lost their lives that day while just going about their day-to-day activities.
My focus of anger has been on simple things -- I couldn't use a nail clipper without being reminded that I was no longer able to take one in my carry-on or purse while traveling. That finally resolved itself, and then it became water bottles and toothpaste and other toiletries ...
How many people did it take to keep me from bringing my requisite three bottles of water with me while traveling? While I recognize there are many more behind-the-scenes, I recall from 10-20 people were directly implicated in the attempts to do harm using liquids on commercial jets. About the same number were directly involved in the hijackings five years ago.
So, where am I going with this?
It's like the old joke -- how many people does it take to change a lightbulb?
How many people did it take to keep me from taking nail clippers or water bottles with me when I travel? About 20.
Those twenty people changed the way millions travel -- a pattern that has repeated itself several times over the past five years ... here, Madrid, London ...
How many people are needed to bring about peace? Justice? Liberty?
How many people are needed to be a light for those in darkness?
Just wondering ...
