Thursday, March 06, 2003

What is one of the loudest noises that you've ever heard?

What events in your life have scared you to death?

Well, I do believe that I had the @#$% scared outta me by one of the loudest noises that I've ever heard, this morning around 4:45am. Yep, I was jolted outta my sleep by what sounded like a transformer exploding below our bedroom window or by something being struck by lightening just below our bedroom window. I thought we were being bombed by Iraq. Honest. I know that may sound funny to your wide-awake mind (chances are you are more awake reading this that I was at 4:45am this morning, right?), but I was scared out of my wits and my first thought was that it was a bomb. There was a flash of white light & a horrendously loud boom. My whole insides seemed to shake, and the sound of the "bomb" could be heard reverberating for some time. Immediately, I sat up and called Andrew's name.

"What was that?", I asked. Oddly enough, he was wide awake as well and had heard it too. A car alarm was going off, and, shortly, thereafter, a fire truck arrived & a police car. Andrew looked out the front door and saw that they were across the parking lot near the end of our building and another building. Sleepily, we were satisfied that the "bomb" must have been somehow related to the fierce thunderstorm that was kicking up speed overhead.

We went back to bed. I don't know how I went back to sleep. Honestly. I was on the verge of tears because in an instant I was so afraid. Isn't that a sign of the times? At 4:45am, I wake up and think we're being bombed.

Andrew & I watched the president's news conference tonight. First, I'll say this: I don't like Bush's politics, but I like him as a man. I think he is a good man, regardless of whether or not I agree with him. I truly believe that he doesn't want to go to war. He wants SH to disarm. However, as Bush said, SH has had 12 years to disarm. Why the heck do we think he will now?

I am not a supporter of war. I think it's sad that we can't settle our differences peacefully. "Why can't we all just get along?" said my mom. I know that it's idealistic, but I feel the same.

My brother is a major in the army, and I support him 100%. I was just shy of 23 when he was sent to the Gulf War in '90. I really don't know how my family made it through the ~6 mos that he was gone. It made me sick to my stomach to think of where he was and why....and how there was the chance that he might not come home. Thankfully, he did.

I can't fathom how I'll feel if my brother gets sent over there this time. I'm older & wiser & more scared.