September 12, 2001.

In a small community in Northeastern Pennsylvania, the volunteer firefighters of the Old Forge Fire Department noticed something different.

On a normal day when they received a call, they are always met with cars that would not move, frustrated individuals that complain because a road blocked off because of a fire or car accident, and total lack of appreciation for what they do.

Today was different.

After any major disaster, the community that's effected becomes close. September 11th, 2001 had a similar effect. But instead of effecting a local community, it effected the entire nation.

Those small town firefighters were greeted with appreciation that day. Car's moved to the side with no complaint, no attitudes towards their efforts. They received respect. But it wasn't focused on first responders, everyone noticed this change. All through nation, from Bangor, Maine, to Seattle, Washington, people treated each other with respect and dignity because we all shared something in common, we all had a heavy heart. We all knew what each other was feeling and that no one should feel alone.

We were united.

Eventually as the time passed, that closeness began to fade and slowly things went back to "normal".

Currently, the U.S. in a state of turmoil. Racial tensions are high. Shootings are a normal thing in the paper. We've lost that feeling of unity from after the 9/11 attacks.

I wrote this article as a reminder that for a shot period of time we were truly one nation.

We stood together.

We respected one another.

We were the United States.

Let's never forget that day, or the way people treated each other after. Because this nation need unity again like we had before.