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On the morning of September 11, 2001, our lives were changed forever. The one thing that we value the most - our freedom - was attacked, unprovoked and unwarranted. The sounds of the World Trade Center's Twin Towers crumbling, the Pentagon burning and four jumbo jets falling to Earth will reverberate through the years. Tuesday, September 11, 2001 was a day of unspeakable tragedy that will forever be imprinted in our memories. It was a day that America and the world will never forget. And neither your life, nor mine, will ever be the same.

As our great nation moves forward, broken-hearted, we collectively grieve its losses and we collectively pray for its future. Together, through our tears and prayers, we mourn the loss of family, friends and strangers' and we try to provide support for the loved ones left behind. As we survivors begin to resume our daily lives, we wonder: What will 'normal' life look like in post-disaster America? And, When will it be OK to be happy again? Life is already going on - and it is going on in a very stirring way ' We hear as many good stories as bad coming out of the events of the past few weeks - stories of courage and kindness and compassion. Unfortunately, amid round the clock news coverage of these tragic events, one message is clear: Things will not be the same for a long, long time.

As for what's next? No one knows for sure. The attack on America will likely take at least a short-term toll on the national economy according to senior economists from the Mortgage Bankers Association of America (MBA) and the National Association of Realtors (NAR). UCLA economists contend that 'history suggests these attacks will have only brief and limited economic consequences for the United States overall'. They go on to say that 'Historically, natural disasters with comparable damages have not pushed any of the U.S. states into recession. Neither have previous declarations of war.'

The attempted destruction of our country has reminded us that we are, after all, 50 states forever united. This cowardly act, perpetrated by those lacking conscience, has become a wake-up call ' a reminder of who we are and what we are. We are Americans.

As America begins the massive clean up and looks toward the future, everyone is doing their part to bring back normalcy - including Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan. After the attack, the Fed voted to cut two key interest rates before the stock exchanges reopened. These cuts were designed to send a message to financial markets that the Fed would "continue to supply unusually large volumes of liquidity to the financial markets as needed until more normal market functioning is restored."

Specifically, the Fed lowered the federal funds rate - the rate that banks charge each other for over night funds - from 3.5 percent to 3 percent. The Fed also cut the discount rate by a half point - a rate on loans directly from the Fed - to 2.5 percent. Market analysts applauded the cuts, saying the move was designed to bolster American confidence and to help keep the economic wheels turning in the wake of the disaster.

Let's talk a little about how these cuts directly affect the American consumer. First, banks across the nation lowered their prime lending rate to six percent. This is the benchmark rate for most business and consumer loans. For the millions of homeowners who have home equity loans tied to the prime rate, your interest rate probably just dropped by a half a percent. For those homeowners who have enjoyed watching their property values increase, a home equity loan is a great opportunity these days if you're looking to pay off other debt, finance college or make those long awaited home improvements. Six percent (and probably tax deductible) is a very inexpensive source of money. Likewise, many commercial and business loans are tied to the prime rate. As these loans get less expensive for

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