>Is it typical of our egocentric society that my first thoughts were for the effects of this news on my family? Among the swirling thoughts of relief that the plot was discovered and prevented, the inconveniences on international and domestic travel, and the economic effect on already-struggling airlines, my clearest and most immediate thoughts were for those closest to me.

We rarely fly. I’m grateful that La Petite flew to France two years ago, not two days ago. I’m grateful that Husband and El Grande took their flight (El Grande’s first!) a month ago, not today.

Since Husband works in the local media, this will have an immediate impact on him. The prez is coming to town to raise money for a local condidate, and Husband will be part of the crew that covers it. As if that weren’t enough, another crew or two or three will have to cover the local airports. Are there enough live trucks to go around? I remember 9/11/01 and how he worked close to 12 hours, interrupted only to wait in the panic line to fill his car with gas so he could get home that night.

El Grande slept late today, and when he got up I pointed him to CNN to find out what’s going on. He’s old enough to know, but his autism sometimes means that I may have to explain and put things in local perspective for him. Right now he’s watching and saying Wow. We talked, and I think he understands.

Yes, I guess it’s natural for a mom to think first of her family. Now that I’ve settled my mind on that count, I can begin to appreciate the global impact of the latest on the terrorism front. And like El Grande, I can only say Wow.