Osama bin Laden is Dead.

Almost 10 years after the atrocities of September 11, 2001, the horrible man behind the attacks, Osama bin Laden, is now dead. I'm typing this while waiting to hear the official word from President Obama. Although I'm in Korea, the news still hit home. All of my friends in America flooded Facebook and Twitter with updates of celebration and digital sighs of relief.

I'm literally stunned, shocked, and amazed. That morning seems so much a part of my American identity now. I was sitting in middle of 8th grade Spanish class when the news broke that the World Trade Center in New York City was attacked. From there, I went on to science class. We all went about the rest of our day as we awaited more official news from the White House. The news that day and for days to come did not improve. We all learned about a darker side of humanity that persists today.

Most of my young cousins have grown up not knowing a world without news of bin Laden, al-Qaeda, and terrorist attacks. I spent much of my college career as a government major learning about how U.S. foreign policy and our armed forces were changed by the events of 9/11. Sadly, the attacks  fundamentally impacted and defined the entire presidency of George W. Bush.

Where do we go from here? How will this development change us? I hope it helps close a bitter chapter in American and world history. It is unlikely, but I'm a hopeful person.

Screen capture from CNN.com