9-11: I Still Remember
I still remember.
I still remember, and I’m sure that I’ll ever forget, where I was on that fateful Tuesday morning in September 2001.
I still remember the images and sounds, as if I had just been there this morning: smoke billowing from buildings; shaky footage of people running from what looked to be a solid wall of dust and debris; reporters frantically switching between New York and Washington, trying to make sense out of the chaos.
I still remember the tears, the looks on people’s faces as they watched the terrible events unfold.
I still remember the words of disbelief I heard that morning, echoed in my own mind. “This looks like a movie…” “It can’t be really happening.” “Maybe it’s some kind of hoax.”
I still remember how the realization gradually settled in that this was really happening. And I remember the feeling in the pit of my stomach – sorrow, anger, fear.
Little as we want to admit it, that group of men accomplished their goal that September morning. Their goal was not simply to fly planes into buildings and kill lots of people. At least one set of hijackers ended up in a field in Pennsylvania. But simply killing lots of people was not their goal.
Their goal was that of all terrorists – to plant terror in people’s hearts. To create panic and fear so deep that it changes the way we look at things, the way we think about things, the way we live. Anyone who flew on an airplane before 9-11, and has flown since, can attest to the simple fact that all these things have changed for us.
I still remember, and I’m sure you do too. How could we ever forget?
But I still remember other things, too.
I still remember the awed voices of reporters, as new videos showed men and women rushing back to Ground Zero to help anyone they could.
I remember the litanies of fallen heroes, and photos snapped of their lives before the tragic day – firefighters, police, ordinary people. A group of passengers who courageously took matters into their own hands.
I still remember the images of bright lights cutting through the darkness so volunteers could continue the search for survivors throughout those long nights.
I still remember watching with pride and approval as local, state and national governments worked swiftly to respond to the crisis.
I still remember being amazed how tiny towns, cities, small businesses and large corporations came together in those few days to do amazing things – providing care for victims and families; feeding the many workers who tirelessly dug through the rubble; giving shelter and food to millions of passengers whose flights had been displaced.
Our divided nation came together that day, as the world gathered around us. We put aside our differences for a time – black, white, Hispanic, Asian, Republican, Democrat, Libertarian, Christian, Muslim, Jewish, pro-life, pro-choice. Finger-pointing was put on hold. Congresses passed new legislation quickly and efficiently. For those few days and weeks following the attacks, we were the United States of America.
For the first time in my young life, I was proud to be an American citizen. I was proud to see how my country could come together to meet the challenges before us. I was proud of our president and the many leaders who stepped up and did what was right in a difficult time.
The spirit of those times was astounding and comforting. For once, we could clearly see God’s hand at work in a powerful way.
And I wonder… where is that country now? Where is that spirit?
I’m not talking about all the current controversies and issues today. Do we need healthcare reform, and what should we do about it? Whose fault is the state of the economy, and how can we fix it? What laws should we have about divisive matters like abortion, immigration, and gay rights, and how can we ever find a balance? These are certainly important questions and decisions, but there’s an American spirit that has transcended those kinds of things in the past.
I’m talking about the spirit that brings us together in the face of challenges. It’s the spirit that brought us together then, and in many other crucial times in our nation’s history. It’s a spirit that assigns value, not blame. A spirit that points out needs, not fault. A spirit that puts aside differences, not friendships. A spirit that seeks the good of the other, not the good of the self. A spirit that values brotherhood above borders. A spirit that seeks to build, not destroy. A spirit of reconciliation, not divorce.
We’re a melting pot, for sure. We will always have differences of religion, cultures, philosophy, morals, and values. Since the earliest settlers first set foot on these shores, that’s the kind of place this has been. We’ve seen the spirit that can divide us because of our differences, but we’ve also known a spirit that can rise above all that. It’s the spirit that brought us together to fight for our freedom, and that drew us through contention to unite into a nation.
Who says this other spirit has to be the status quo? Who says we have to wait for tragedies like 9-11 or Hurricane Katrina to bring out the true spirit of America?
I still remember.
I remember the spirit that has driven us toward greater things. And I think that together, you and I might just be able to bring it back.
