Trauma- (noun) a deeply distressing or disturbing experience.

Many of us can remember the exact details of the day September 11, 2001. If we don't remember for ourselves, we know someone or several people who do. The terrorist attack against our country 15 years ago will forever be recognized as a traumatic event in our country's history. However, we must recognize that this devastating attack still triggers similar feelings of distress each year when this date rolls around. I think many of us (including myself) are guilty of remembering 9/11 as a date, but we forget to acknowledge the trauma that associated that time.

That terrifying day elicited responses that nobody in those situations planned on implementing on that Tuesday morning. Some found themselves trapped, no longer simply facing death; they were facing how to die. Videos and images of people jumping from buildings to avoid suffocating or burning alive still send chills down my spine. Some could only watch the turmoil in horror because there was nothing they could do in that moment to prevent airplanes from crashing into the magnificent Twin Towers of New York City, the Pentagon of D.C., or that field in rural Pennsylvania. (Side note: If you haven't read or heard about United Airlines Flight 93 on 9/11, I highly recommend you learn about it. It is a truly inspiring story of camaraderie and selflessness that too often doesn't receive enough recognition.) Many heroes rose on that day; I personally thank God for providing our country with such bold, courageous, and dedicated service men and women.

So, how do we respond? Even now, 15 years later, we are still reacting and recalling those events by acknowledging the date as a national day of remembrance. I challenge myself and others to remember 9/11 with perspectives of forgiveness, appreciation, and love. I know these all have positive connotations, and some may call me insensitive to choose these words. However, bear in mind that evil will always be present in our world. We cannot change that; we can try our hardest to fight it and decrease it, but it will never fully be eliminated by our own works. So we do not need to add to it. Forgiving those terrorists today and everyday will help rid us of the desire for hateful vengeance; judgment is left to God, not us. We can appreciate that day by appreciating the sacrifices made in order to save countless more lives that could've been taken. While despair rose on that day, righteousness accompanied it. Terrorists planned to expose our weaknesses, but they triggered our strengths. We are people of God's creation who are called to love. On that day, it was proven that there are too many people in this world that practice hate, but why should we follow their example? Our image to mirror is in Christ, and he always practiced love. We will not solve our problems by reacting to tragedies with malice in our hearts. Malicious actions fuel the spread of evil. This year, in remembrance of September 11, 2001, remember to forgive those who caused us so much pain, to appreciate the strength that arose from those ashes, and to love those around you so that you can be a voice of good for those who no longer have a voice.