It was early on a Monday morning. I was just waking up after I crashed on the couch. A combination of just finishing my production of "West Side Story" and allergies caused me to be in a somewhat dazed state. My dad says that I will never believe what happened. He told me that Osama Bin Laden was killed. At first, the news did not quite resonate. It was impossible. Was he just trying to jolt me awake with an outrageous story? I turned on the television, and there it was. That is my "Where I Heard Osama was Killed" Story.

Does this rank with moments such as John Kennedy's assignation or Pearl Harbor? Most likely, it does not even come close. I know, I l know, "Adam, the subject is too sensitive". As a writer who believes the work of the pen is an art form, I feel it is my duty to provoke thoughts on this situation. The sensitivity of Osama bin Laden's death makes it hard for an opinion on either side to be shared. I hope that you will respect what I have to say as I will listen to what you say. Somehow this news felt big. A wave of patriotism felt like it was sweeping the nation. Later Monday morning, someone was vigorously waving the American flag. Since 2008, times have been tough. The economy is just starting to recover. We are fighting two wars, and some say we are on the verge of a third. Snap shots of good news slivered into the news reel, like the Royal Wedding and the repeal of Don't Ask, Don't Tell. Generally, Americans were not given any reason to skip and cheer as a nation. To me, Monday felt like Americans were back on top. As China ascended its way to becoming a superpower, the United States was put into denial. Osama and his gang of terrorists threw us into a dark place. Just like a bully teases on the playground, our country felt cornered and embarrassed. We needed something to jolt us awake, as did I on that Monday morning, and we got it.

Was our national prowess too overbearing? Yitzhak Rabin said, "We do not celebrate the death of our enemies." Being former prime minister of Israel, a nation with many enemies, makes this all the more dignified. In my opinion, the first wave of national pride was a way of covering up the original shock of the event. I could not have written this piece of Monday evening. The news was too fresh, too unbelievable. When that wore down, Americans began to realize that an actual man died. It feels somewhat strange to dance about the streets when others are grieving. Did people feel this same bittersweet sensation when Hiroshima and Nagasaki were bombed in 1945?

What is hate if it is love in another's eyes? Yitzhak Rabin was hated by the man who shot him 1995. An entire group filled with delight the day Rabin was shot. Another weeped rivers of tears. Folks who agreed with bin Laden have just as much a right to grieve as Rabin enthusiasts.

Osama bin Laden is perhaps a little different. He was not just a contradiction to the United States. He killed 3,000 civilians and damaged a nation's moral completely. The navy seals went after Osama on Yom Hashoah, which remembers a separate massacre of innocent people. Just like the casualties of the Holocaust, each man, woman, and child who died on 9/11 has a name, a story, and a family. President Obama made a bold choice to do what he did and then share his opinion of it on the television. Leaders have to make tough choices sometimes. The key is choosing the right time.