I’ve been reading news stories and blog posts on the death of Osama Bin Laden since before I went to bed last night and all day today. There are so many different articulations on how it makes people feel to know he is gone.
I’m still not sure exactly how I feel. If I were forced to describe my feelings right now I’d probably say: I feel a sense of somber relief.
Today is a historic day. The survivors of the lives that were lost on 9/11 and thereafter now have some closure and all Americans can now sigh with relief that another chapter has come to a close, which in itself is a cause for celebration.
I cannot, however, quite join in all the excitement over his death. He was, without a doubt, EVIL. His goal of exterminating the entire western world can be described as nothing less than horrific. But I have trouble with the idea of rejoicing over another person’s death, especially with my son watching (even if he is too young to really understand right now).
I am not saying I feel bad for him or am sad he is dead. I definitely believe justice has been served and I am so thankful to the men and women who have served in the armed forces for fighting for our freedom and keeping us safe, both in Iraq and Afghanistan!
What it comes down to, more than anything, is: I am a cautious person and I have trouble celebrating until I know a threat is completely gone. My role as a mother only makes matters worse; I worry everyday about the world in which we are raising our children. I want nothing more than to shield my son from absolutely everything evil in the world. So I worry about things I have no control over, like the thought of some unknown “boogy-man” slipping in and taking over where Bin Laden left off.
So there it is. All in all: I am so extremely happy that one threat has been eliminated and I pray this chapter in America’s history is truly over.
