Let Us Remember

As I’m certain that all of your social media newsfeeds have been happy to remind you, today marks 18 years since the tragedies of 9/11.  Eighteen years since mothers and fathers left for work, expecting it to be just another Tuesday.  Eighteen years since business travelers boarded their flights, thinking only of the presentations they’d have to give later that day.

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The children born that day are now old enough to vote and get ill-advised tattoos.

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Over the last 18 years, we’ve seen the tragedy bring out the best and worst in people.  We’ve seen controversial wars, and moments of division, and times when we’ve forgotten that regardless of religion or nationality, we’re all creations of God.

We’ve seen debates over how to best commemorate the fallen, and arguments over how to best aid survivors, and we’ve had to ask ourselves what price we’re willing to pay to prevent future tragedies.

As we mark 18 years, though, I think it’s important that we look back and remember the real lessons of that day.

That life is uncertain.

That we should always hug our children and spouses.

That no matter our differences, when it really matters, we’re a nation that knows how to come together and help those in need.

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Let us all remember the lines that snaked around the block to give blood, and the brave men and women who rushed into the destruction to save others.  Let us remember the countries that had so little to spare, but still donated what they had to help us.  Let us all remember the pride that we felt in our country on September 12, and how on that day, we didn’t care about our neighbor’s political views or his poor taste in lawn ornaments.

Today, let us remember the fallen.

And tomorrow, let us go back to the people we were on September 12, 2001.