Boom

Twelve years ago today I was in Israel on study abroad. I started the day with a security brief (which happened weekly). Secretary of State Madeleine Albright was coming to help with the peace talks and tension was high. At this point I did not have a personal connections to the conflict. I had only been in the country for 10 days. All I knew is that I want to explore an Israeli part of town. It was an area that had a European feel to it and seemed very cool. At the security brief we were advised not to go to the area of town that was on my agenda. They did not say that we could not go, only that it might be a good idea not to go. I was very reluctant to change my plans but I did. Instead of doing some shopping my friends and I went to the Holocaust Museum. It was when I came out of the children exhibit that I hear a boom, boom, boom. This was not an uncommon sound but the feeling in the air was unsettling. At that time I did not understand what I had heard or what was happening. It took about five minuets for word to spread around the museum. Three suicide bombers had been on the street where I was planning on shopping. They had killed seven and injured over hundred people. The taxi ride across town to the Jerusalem Center was confusing and chaotic. We were the last students to make it back. We went straight into the do an official role call. Brother Peterson (the director) had to see the face of every student. When he called the last name he begin to weep. This was one of many life experiences that reminds me life is short. You never know when it will all change. It is too easy to get caught up in the day-to-day stuff and forget to live.