One moment, Alice was peering into a looking glass at a reflection of herself.
The next, she was lost in an unfamiliar world, not completely unlike her own, but somehow distorted.
It was familiar. But all wrong.
For the many of us who remember Sept. 11, 2001, the feelings are similar.
We woke up in a world just like the one we fell asleep to on Sept. 10.
Then abruptly, everything changed.
Suddenly, we became more aware of the world around us.
We were no longer in some bubble, protected from the distant troubles of the other side of the globe.
The world became smaller.
Threats became closer.
Our surroundings changed profoundly.
It was familiar. But all wrong.
A decade later, the reflection in the mirror still is distorted.
And Sept. 11 is a constant reminder of how life as we know it can transform in a moment.
Security has tightened. Foreign policy has changed.
We launched a war on terrorism that drags on and claims lives to this day.
On the 10th anniversary of 9/11, we find ourselves pausing to appreciate the liberties we so often take for granted.
Certainly, we learned lessons as a country from the attacks and their aftermath.
There also are lessons to be learned as individuals — tolerance, unity, awareness.
Nearly 3,000 people died in the 9/11 attacks.
More than 6,000 U.S. servicemen have died since, in the global war on terrorism.
If each of us takes those sacrifices personally, remembering the premise on which this country was founded and making those values a part of our daily lives, then their lives were not lost in vain.
And we can look, in approval, at the person who stares back at us through the looking glass.
The Dispatch Editorial Board is made up of publisher Peter Imes, columnist Slim Smith, managing editor Zack Plair and senior newsroom staff.
You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 37 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.