Seventeen years ago, the world as we knew it was completely changed. Since I was only two years old at the time, I don't remember much; but from what I have heard, nothing was ever the same after that one September day. The entire world shook when terrorists crashed a plane into the World Trade Center, taking thousands of innocent lives with it.

On a personal note, my grandma died in 9/11; she went for a normal day of work and never returned home. Since 9/11 was such a worldwide event, I think that it is really hard for some people to think of how this terrorist attack affected victims, first-responders, and families on a personal level. This didn't just mean stricter airport security or fear of crowds, for some people, 9/11 meant losing their lives or the lives of the people they loved for a reason that is just entirely too hard to wrap your head around.

Because 9/11 is so personal to me, I get very upset when people don't show it with the level of respect it deserves. 9/11 is not a day for conspiracy theories and jokes, and the 9/11 Museum is not a place you go just to post pictures on your Snapchat story. You should go to pay your respects and think about how each name you see represents a real person who would never see another day because of some hateful war that had nothing to do with them directly. You should think about how some insanely courageous people risked their lives, and even lost their lives, in order to help others. You should think about the people who were lucky enough to survive, but will forever feel guilty for it. Or how some diligent workers would never return to their spouses, children, or loved ones ever again.

If you ever get the chance to walk through the museum itself, please take the time to really look around. You should read everything, especially the quotes. You truly get a sense of what it was like to be there in that moment. You should look at the survivor steps and the steel that remains from the towers. You should look at the clothes they found and notice the distress caused by the fires. Watch the videos, look at all the faces; think about the families who had to go through pictures of someone they loved so they could somehow pay tribute to them. In all honesty, you will leave the museum feeling drained and destroyed, but I really feel like everyone should understand the severity of the attack. The museum does an impressive job of conveying the impact it had on people's lives.

This September 11^th, I want you to look around you and feel thankful. Be thankful that the world doesn't look and feel like it is crumbling down. Be thankful that there are people fighting overseas, hoping to destroy the fear that has remained since. Be thankful for freedom and the price that people have paid for it. Remember those faces, remember the names. Death is real, survival guilt is real, PTSD is real, but so is courage and unity and the strength people had to keep going. The world stopped that day, so maybe you should take some time out of yours to stop and reflect.

Gone but never forgotten. May all those innocent souls rest in peace always: remember them.