Freedom is a luxury of life that most Americans take for granted almost everyday. From picking up a cellular phone to make a quick call to New York, to booking a flight at the last minute for a roundtrip to Chicago, freedom is a luxury and many Americans may not take the time in their entire lifetimes to give thanks for their pleasures.

"America has become complacent," one radio announcer stated on Tuesday, following the havoc wreaked at the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. "That is the reason for this tragedy," he said.

Maybe so. Maybe we don't stop to think about how lucky we are to have the luxuries that America offers. Maybe we do think that America is the center of the universe and that any other place outside of North America may not really exist

and if it does, it doesn't have an impact on us anyway.

But today may be one of those days when all of those who are obsessed with moving to America may rethink their dream, and it may be a day when those of us who have never given thanks, take the time to think about it. Those outside of America may think that we have become complacent, making that complacency the cause of Tuesday's tragic incidents. People outside of this country may realize that the "American Dream" is not all it's cracked up to be

especially if that dream involves working in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles or Washington D.C. in a government building that may have complacent security guards that don't seem to notice the two airplanes flying round and round the building in the middle of the afternoon.

But, Americans should be thankful

thankful that freedom offers the luxury of living in a small town such as Greenville, rather than dealing with the hustle and bustle of the big city, and the tragedies that come with those big cities on a day-to-day basis.

Whatever the cause of this week's tragedy, make an effort not to be complacent. Enjoy the community. Enjoy family and friends. Enjoy work. Because even though you may have been standing for 30 or more years, the whole world could come tumbling down around you in only a matter of seconds.