Among the countless questions that we have all been asking ourselves since human existence was forever changed a month ago – there has been one particular question that has stuck in my mind – what is really important?

If you can possibly try to recall life before the eleventh of September – which I have had a lot of trouble doing lately – you might recall the things that you were doing and the priorities that you had before the attack. I did that yesterday when I visited my old office at the Department of Buildings. When I sat at my old desk – which I feel like I have not done in years – I looked at the trays on my desk and saw the work that I was scheduled to do on September 11th. I had an internal departmental newsletter that needed some revisions, I had an outstanding inquiry from a weekly newspaper that needed attention, and I had a few correspondence from constituents that needed answers. On the morning of September 11, 2001 – these three issues seemed important enough to dedicate my day to – and now – they seem so insignificant compared to the enormity of the events that took place just one month ago today.

In addition to my own personal priorities – what about the priorities that the nation as a whole had? From the headlines in the newspapers describing Gary Condit’s extra marital affairs, to the bi-partisan bickering in Congress to the celebrities making news because they divorced or separated – it absolutely amazes me as to what we as a nation considered important before the eleventh of September.

It’s no secret that the events that took place on the eleventh of September altered our lives forever – but eventually – the world is going to go back to the way it was be it a month, a year – or a decade from now. When that does happen – I just hope that we as a country take a look at what we considered priorities before the attacks – and remember what our priorities are now.