This year, I had the honor of putting together Aurora University's annual 9/11 memorial program. I was super anxious to do this because, well, it's an important event, and I wanted to plan it as best as I could. After going through the process of planning it and hearing all of the speakers talk, I was reminded of the sacrifices men and women have made for this country, and I can't help but have a greater appreciation for this amazing country.

Call it individualistic, self-centered, or whatever you want, but America is truly an amazing country. We have provided our people with freedoms that most countries don't have, and these freedoms have given people like me and you new opportunities that we wouldn't have had otherwise. Although as heartbreaking as war is, without the loss of life and land that we endured, I might not have been able to sit here and write to you all, or attend a school that has given me the abilities to be able to read and write.

Every time I drive around the area, and I see American flags,it just reminds me of how blessed we are to live in a country that provides us with an opportunity for education and growth, and how it continues to amaze us every day, in good and bad ways. We aren't a perfect country by any means, we have our issues, but at the end of the day, what brings us all together is that we are all American, and we need to stick together. With all of the hatred that has been pictured in the media, and all of the pain we have been out through, it is important to remember that as Americans, we need to take care of our country. There are people out there right now fighting for our rights to various things, that we need to take the time and thank them, and remember where we come from.

On September 11th 2001. almost 3,000 lives were lost. Of those 3,000 lives, 350 were first responders. On that day and in the months after that day, we stuck together. We listened to each others stories, and we provided a shoulder to cry on for the people who needed it. We need to do this. Instead of hating each other, we need to support each other no matter what. We can't fall apart as a country, because that will just make matters worse. Yes, there are bad things happening, and there always will be bad things happening no matter how much we wish that wasn't true. But for now, we need to understand that we are all in this together, and without each other, we will just collapse.

America has this funny way of bringing people together no matter what the cost, and we all have different experiences with it and opinions of it, but we can't forget who we are, and where we came from because if we do, anarchy is inevitable, and it'll just tear us apart. Don't destroy everything our founding fathers worked for, and don't disregard the flag, because men and women like you and me died for that flag, and we can't let that death be in vain.

America is truly beautiful in so many different ways, but we have to get past the hatred and our own egos to see that. We must protect one another and stand for each other, because in the end, all we have is each other, and all we have is America. No matter how great it seems to be going somewhere else, it's an illusion. If you're not happy in your current situation, go out there and change it, or go out and promote the change you believe in. Don't sit there and complain and bring harm to others because what is that going to solve? Nothing. Appreciate what America has to offer you as of now, and don't just look at its faults, because we are so much more than that. We are America.