‘The attacks did not change my vision’
■ Name: Bob Corker ■ Occupation: Mayor of Chattanooga
■ How your life is different since 9-11: “Personally, it (the attacks) caused me to want to live aware of the finiteness of life, aware that circumstances can change, or end, life dramatically and abruptly. I respect, far more, the fragile nature of life. In my relationships with other people, it’s caused me to want not to leave unsaid the things I want to say or to leave undone the things I want to do. As mayor, I was proud of the way our citizens reacted. It was heartwarming to see people trying to do things that were meaningful and helpful to others, even six, almost 12 months now, after the fact.”
■ Fears/hopes for the future: “To do what I do every day involves focusing on the future, on the building of a city. The attacks did not change my vision for the future. Some things we were spending lots of time on at the time of the attacks paled in importance. But at the end of the day, we still need to focus on issues that are important to the people who live here.”