With the memory of Sept. 11, 2001 fresh in our minds, just days after the 14-year anniversary of this tragic event, I reflect on this catastrophe with great emotion.

At the time of this attack on our great nation, I was 6-years-old. Vivid memories of the event flood my mind, even to this day and with each passing anniversary.

I remember distinctly where I was at the time, sitting at my kitchen table with my mom close by. My mom suddenly turned on the small, black box TV we had on the countertop directly across from my seat. Immediately, news images of the first tower on fire filled the screen. I sat. I watched.

More than this physical memory, I remember the emotion. As my mother stood there, shocked and mortified, I remember this rush of bitter emotions sweeping over me. I couldn’t have explained these feelings then, but I’d like to think now that I had an unconscious realization of this heart-breaking devastation.

I turned my head from the screen to look at my mother, tears now rolling down her face as she watched in horror the fateful events of that day unfold.

I was too young at the time to fully understand the situation - I didn’t understand the severity of what I witnessed on that small, box TV sitting on that kitchen counter.

What I did understand was a burning building was bad, people were hurt and my mom was in tears. It wasn’t until I was older that I fully understood exactly what happened during that waking-nightmare.

As a 20-year-old adult, 14 years later, I have a new perspective on this globally known cataclysm. Every year when I see the Facebook posts, articles, and videos about the event take over the Internet, I find myself moved to tears as the memories are brought to the forefront of my mind.

Despite the fact that I know readingthe articles and watching the documentary videos will make me cry, I feel drawn to them, compelled to read or to watch. It's like skipping to the end of a book only to discover a tragic ending, but you read the book anyway because the story is so compelling. You can't put the book down, even though you know the ending you are given is not the ending you want.

Every year, I learn something new about the events which transpired on that day. Every year, I relive the emotions caused by that infamous day in our nation’s history. Every year, I am reminded of the unspeakable loss, the unimaginable chaos, and the unpredictable devastation.

I read articles telling stories of men and women who lost family members in the Twin Towers; I watch documentary videos capturing the towers as they fell, I see interviews with the men and women who rushed into those same towers to rescue civilians and somehow made it out alive.

Recently, I learned the story of a water rescue mission I had never heard before. Little did I know on that day, but American citizens were about to make history by being a part of the largest water evacuation recorded in history. According to an inquisitr.com article, almost 500,000 people were rescued from Manhattan in a span of only nine hours by regular citizens responding to a call for help.

As I read the article, tears flooding my eyes, I realized that 9/11 was bigger than I had ever understood. The number of lives lost, families torn apart, a national landmark crumbling, chaos raging, and panic ensuing - this is the cost of damage far greater than any monetary value could express.

But as I read about the way in which the American people responded to these horrifying events, I am filled with a new emotion. I am filled with pride, with awe and with hope -- pride for my country, land of the free and the brave, awe at the heroic actions of regular civilians saving those in harms way and hope for a brighter future and a better humanity.

Sept. 11, 2001 is arguably the most tragic day in our nation's history. The enormous amount of destruction, the number of lives lost, the realization that our great nation was under attack all invoke strong emotions of anger, sorrow, fear, panic and loss.

What I have come to realize is that out of all of these negative emotions, there lies buried deeply a glimmer of hope. As I reflect on this day in history, I now feel hope amidst the sorrow, a hope inspired by the actions and responses of Americans on that day. The sacrifice of so many Americans to save the lives of others is incredible. The way Americans, both as individuals and as a nation, came together to salvage and recover from this attack is unbelievable.

It is because of these actions of great sacrifice and selflessness that America was able to rise from the ashes to grow stronger.

It is because of the these great heroes I can now find hope in this tragic story. Hope that, in the midst of great tragedy, humanity will rise up to do what is right. Hope that as a nation, we will continue to grow stronger. Hope that this event will no longer cripple, but rather inspire.

We have witnessed through this terror attack that no matter what our differences are, we are one united nation that will come together in a time of great need. While this historical event reminds us of devastation, if we let it, it can remind us of greatness.

This is the hope that follows the tragedy.