Never Forget: All That Emerged from September 11

It is September 11, 2019. Today is the day that has become known as Patriot Day in America. It is a day of service and remembrance, of doing good for others, of paying it forward. All over the country, selfless people will be doing wonderful acts of kindness and working together in unity. I hope that, as time goes on, Patriot Day becomes embedded into our nation’s culture and annual calendar of observances as a day of great significance. I certainly hope that will be the case for the generation of Americans who were born after the autumn of 2001; the generation who is now starting college.

As deeply as I admire the concept and truly applaud the efforts it inspires, for me, and for so many others, this is not simply a day called Patriot Day. This is the anniversary of 9/11, and the depth of what that means cannot be measured. We who remember that day and the horrific and honorable, awful and awe-inspiring moments and memories that it wrought will have this date seared into our souls forever. Just like the generation of older Americans, whose numbers are now dwindling, that lived through the attacks on Pearl Harbor, we are destined to always remember with relentless precision the remarkably clear blue sky, the routine start to the day, the confusion of the breaking news, the shock and disbelief of the reality, the horror of the implications, the frantic journeys home, the fearful search for loved ones, the bottomless pit of grief, and the unquenchable anger against those soulless murderers who had attacked our country, our friends, our families, our coworkers, our neighbors.  Anyone who lived in the northeast, even those who did not lose family members, were touched in some way by the breadth of the impact and the sorrowful toll it took on so many communities. Time that day stood still, and the days that came after it seemed to move in slow motion. It was like living in a parallel universe that looked familiar, but felt so strange, as a new reality took shape in ways we could never have imagined.

What also emerged from that day, and what remains equally unforgettable, was the magnificent wave of kindness, strength, and unity that swept over all of us. Where the attacks had been heart-stopping, the love was breathtaking. The outpouring of generosity, graciousness, camaraderie, and patriotism was astounding. As lives were rebuilt, new bonds were forged. Friendships became closer, children were hugged tighter, spouses were more cherished. Things that once seemed to matter so much became meaningless and it was the little things that became significant. Airline passengers, once the skies were reopened, treated flight crews with reverence, held their breath throughout their flights, and applauded gratefully when they had safely landed. First responders, military, laborers, and volunteers, recognized as the heroes that they were, toiled day and night for months, driven first by hope and then by determination to rescue, recover, and rebuild. We were a united nation. This was humanity at its best.

It is that spirit of service and good will, arising from great loss, that gave birth to Patriot Day (not to be confused, by the way, with Patriot’s or Patriots Day, which commemorates two early battles of the American Revolution), blending mournful with meaningful. I pray that there is never another devastating event that jolts our society into that kind of unprecedented benevolence. But I also wish that there were a way to capture it in a bottle and release it when hearts are heavy, enveloping us again with the sweet fragrance of charity and compassion.  

Today is September 11 and we must never forget – not only the death and destruction, but the dedication and divinity.