This Sunday, September 11th, 2016, will mark 15 years since the worst terrorist attack in the history of the United States. This will be a rough, sad and somber day for our nation; it will allow us the opportunity for us, regardless of who we are, to come together and remember those first responders who made the ultimate sacrifice, those brave men and women who jumped into action to help save the lives of others. On this day of remembrance, we should not divide ourselves, but rather come closer to one another, offer each other support and strength.
What began as a usual Tuesday for most people, going to work and getting ready for the start of a new day, ended in chaos and tragedy, from New York City to the nation's capital in Washington, D.C. to a field in Pennsylvania. Thousands of innocent lives were taken by radical extreme terrorists. It is a day that we as a nation will never forget. As a matter of fact, I'm sure at some point in your life someone has asked you, "Do you remember where you were on the morning of 9/11/01"? To answer that question, I was very young, just shy of 5 years old in kindergarten and the whole school was escorted into a large auditorium for safety reasons. That is basically all I remember.
We started the day by listening to patriotic music, wearing red, white and blue, and listening to poems read by fellow students. There was also a moment of silence marking each time a plane crashed. Today, as a college student, I watch the names of the victims being read on television. I also take time to pray and to be grateful and appreciative for those firefighters and police officers who went into the World Trade Center to save lives.
In the months and years following 9/11, people and businesses alike became more vigilant about their surroundings. Security and policing in airports and communities became even tighter. Air travel became less common as a result of what happened on that day.
An important message that I hope everyone can take away from this article is, this day is a very important day in American history. We need to find a way to come together and show support, love and compassion for those who need it most, especially for the families of first responders who lost their lives on this terrible day.
One interesting fact to note for this year is that high school freshman who will be in high school for the next four years were not born yet to witness what happened on that day. They will be the first group of students to learn every bit about what happened. Schools will be playing a very important and integral role in ensuring students can know why we take this day as a serious day to really take a moment out of our day to remember those who made the efforts to serve and protect our great nation. Our schools are also ready to provide help and support to students who lost a loved one on 9/11.
The picture I have above was from when I went into NYC earlier this summer. It is a picture of the 9/11 memorial reflecting pools from the top of the Freedom Tower. I was very lucky to be able to go there and explore the beautiful sights of NYC and also to pay my respects to the victims when I visited the memorial.
So, this Sunday, please take some time out of your day and take a moment of silence to think about, reflect, and remember all the innocent lives that were taken on September 11, 2001. Thank you and God Bless the USA!
