September 11, 2001 — We Remember

Twenty-five years.

It hardly seems possible.

For those of us who lived through September 11, 2001, there are moments from that day that remain remarkably clear.

We remember where we were when we heard the news. We remember turning on the television and watching something that seemed impossible unfold before our eyes. We remember the fear, the disbelief, the heartbreak—and the terrible realization that our country had been attacked.

Nearly 3,000 people left home that morning and never came back.

They were mothers and fathers. Sons and daughters. Husbands and wives. Friends and coworkers. Ordinary Americans going about an ordinary Tuesday morning.

And then there were the extraordinary Americans who ran toward danger.

Firefighters climbed stairwells while others were desperately trying to get down. Police officers, paramedics and other first responders rushed into chaos to help complete strangers. Passengers aboard Flight 93, knowing what had happened elsewhere, made the courageous decision to fight back. Their final actions likely saved countless other lives.

Twenty-five years later, an entire generation has grown up knowing September 11 only as history.

But for many of us, it doesn't feel like history.

We remember the days that followed, too.

We remember American flags everywhere, strangers comforting strangers, people standing in line to donate blood and asking what they could do to help, and churches filling with people praying for the injured, the grieving, our leaders and our country.

For a time, the things that divided us seemed much smaller than the things that united us.

We were Americans.

This September 11, perhaps remembering should mean more than looking backward.

Perhaps it should remind us that despite our disagreements, we still share this remarkable country. That freedom should never be taken for granted. That courage still matters. That kindness toward our neighbors matters. And that faith can sustain us through even our darkest hours.

May we remember those whose lives were taken.

May we honor those who ran toward danger.

May we teach those who weren't yet born why this day matters.

May we pray for our nation and for one another.

And may we never forget.

God bless those we lost.

God bless those who served.

And God bless the United States of America