I'm one of the last age groups to remember 9/11. I remember a world where a terrorist attack was a far fetched fear and airport security wasn't strict. I remember a world where people weren't afraid to go places like a train station, a mall, or even out to eat. I remember a world where terrorism wasn't something that was on the news every other week.

Just months after the Paris attacks that killed 128 people and left the world grieving for the city of light, its northern neighbor Brussels, Belgium experienced a similar loss. On Tuesday, March 22, two explosions happened in the Brussels airport and another one in a subway station just an hour later. While our nation was shocked that more vicious attacks happened, it was not surprised. Terrorism has become so common in today's world that it no longer surprises us when we hear news stories about it happening across the sea.

Thirty-one people are dead because of the Brussels attacks and more than 230 were wounded. ISIS claimed responsibility for the attack shortly after, which is no surprise considering that they've claimed responsibility for the Paris ones as well. For people like myself who don't have any connections to Belgium, it's easy to turn a blind eye and pretend that the world is okay because it happened far from home. However, there were Americans among the victims and somewhere in our country, their families are grieving for them.

Arrests were made in connections to the attacks, but that doesn't prevent more from happening. Our world has changed drastically in the last twenty years, and it will continue to change. The Brussels attacks, while not as large as Paris or 9/11, still rock the world. It's a scary place out there and it won't get better overnight. Send good thoughts to Belgium and the victims.