When one looks back over 2001, there is one moment that standsout as the defining moment of the year.

September 11th is that day as one we will always remember wherewe were, what we were doing – a defining moment on which all otherswill be judged.

Throughout history every generation has such a moment. For manyin our older generation, it was Pearl Harbor. For others it was theassassination of John F. Kennedy. For those younger it was theexplosion of the space shuttle Challenger.

Each event marked a moment in history that forever changedlives.

Defining moments are not always tragic. For those in my parent’sgeneration, V.E. Day and V.J. Day were defining moments thatspelled the end of World War II and began the baby boom. For thosebaby boomers, man’s first step on the Moon left us in awe oftechnology and new worlds for mankind to explore.

While September 11th was a tragic defining moment that will beforever locked in our minds, for of all its tragedy and sorrow, itmay have also been a positive defining moment in that it pulled ustogether as a nation.

The individualism which has taken over this country’spersonality was suddenly changed from the “me” mentality to the”we” mentality as people began to listen to each other and realizethe common ground we share. We also began to understand our ownmortality and in increasing numbers began looking to a higherauthority for comfort.

The test will be how long it will last.

We can look back at 2001 with great awe, for many great thingswere accomplished not only nationally, but also here locally. Weare a community that is alive and prospering. Prospering becauseour ability to work together, to look to the future while buildingon our past.

Our prosperity as a community will depend however, on one thing- a continuation of our own commitment, but with a vision to whatwe hope to accomplish in the future.

For many the status quo is the future, but status quo is aprescription for failure. Status quo is easy, it takes littlethought and no extra effort. Status quo fights change but change isthe future, nothing stays the same – September 11th taught usthat.

What is the vision for this community and the area’s future? Wehave the Mississippi School of the Arts that may be opening itsdoors next year. We have a newly-renovated high school that is amonument of the dedication this community has to the propereducation of our children.

We have assets that other communities can only hope to attain.We have those because of the success of the commitment not toaccept the status quo but our determination to reach for somethinghigher.

We live in a wonderful community with includes not justBrookhaven but Bogue Chitto, Ruth, Loyd Star, Enterprise and WestLincoln as well as Wesson, Monticello, Hazlehurst and to someextent even Summit and McComb. Brookhaven may be the focal point,but its success is tied directly to each of these surroundingcommunities and all areas in between.

As 2001 draws to a close, this is a time reflect on the past butalso grasp a vision and commit to reach for loftier goals not onlyfor our community but personally as well.

Have a safe and prosperous 2002. May God bless us all!