It could have been the middle of summer.

The heat of the mid-afternoon sun had multi-colored umbrellas popping up like mushrooms in the ball field bleachers.

Once in a while a friendly little breeze stirred the humid air, temporarily cooling the crowds in the bleachers and players on the field and tempting fans with the aroma of hotdogs and hamburgers sizzling on the charcoal grill at the concession stand.

It could have been the middle of summer. But it wasn't.

The ball field had goal posts, not bases, the elementary school boys sweating in their uniforms wore football helmets, not baseball caps, and it was September. In fact, it was September 15, 2001.

Four days earlier, we had all watched on our television screens the unbelievable live video of New York City and Washington, D.C. under attack by terrorists. One of my friends would tell me later that when she saw the two jets plow into the tops of the twin towers of the World Trade Center and explode, she kept expecting King Kong or Godzilla to suddenly appear amidst the flames and destruction. It was just too shocking to be real – too horrendous to absorb.

Virtually all sporting events in the country – and most all other forms of entertainment – were suspended as a stunned and angry nation mourned the lives lost in all four terrorist attacks. And yet, there I sat, only four days later, with my husband, watching our 11-year-old grandson's Rosepine Eagles play its first youth league football game of the season.

We had planned this quick road trip to Louisiana weeks before the ghoulish terrorist attacks struck on our nation the morning of Sept. 11. By Sept. 14, we were still debating whether we should go on with our plans. As we weighed the pros and cons, of the trip we considered televised appeals from President Bush and New York Mayor Giuliani to Americans to go on with our normal lives as much as possible. So we decided to go on and be at a football field in South Beaureguard. La., on Sept. 15, with our grandson and son.

As we drove to Louisiana that Friday, we were cheered and encouraged by the American flags and God Bless America signs on display everywhere – cars, houses, businesses, churches, schools. Many radio stations had not yet resumed regular programming and patriotic messages abounded even in the commercials. On one call-in program we heard Americans from all over the nation expressing their sorrow and concern for victims of the deadly attack on the USA – and their resolute support for the President to wage war against those responsible.

At the game the next day I doubt there was a grownup present who didn't think about the terrorist attacks of 9-11, and hopefully say a prayer for our nation. And yet we sat in the hot sun with our families and cheered for our kids and their teams, and we took pictures and bought snacks from volunteers at the concession stands - almost as if it were a normal day.

At one point a man sitting not far from us playfully broke into an imitation of George Clooney singing "I Am A Man of Constant Sorrow," when a snippet of the tune was played over the loudspeaker. The man's wife started talking about what a great job Clooney did singing the song in the recent movie O Brother Where Art Thou, but a lady next to her reminded that Clooney had really only lip-synched the words.

"Oh, but he did such a good job of it," the wife replied, undaunted, and they all laughed.

Yes, life went on in the ball park that day, and, thank God, it will continue to go on as our nation prepares to do whatever it takes to preserve our freedom and protect our country.

In the meantime, we will attend our children's football, baseball and soccer games, their gymnastic and dance classes and their church and school programs. We will go to festivals, fairs and concerts. We will play golf and ride horses and bikes. We'll go skating and bowling.We will attend art exhibits and listen to music and eat out and work hard at our jobs and pay our bills. We will buy houses and cars, clothes, shoes and birthday, anniversary, wedding and Christmas presents. We will save money and spend money. We will buy and sell stocks and bonds. We'll donate to good causes, give blood and support benefits raising money for those less fortunate than we are.

We'll go to church and club meetings, movies and parties, business conventions and class reunions. We will continue to do all the things that people in a free nation expect to do. We will have confidence in our economy and our nation and we will look to the future with hope, faith and the determination to remain a free country. And we won't be gloomy and cast-down. We will never forget Sept. 11, 2001. But we will remember it is still OK to smile and enjoy our everyday lives as we count our many blessings and go forward.

Linda Seubold, editor of Entertainment Fort Smith Magazine, can be reached at lindaseubold@efortsmith.com. Read her archived columns and articles online.

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