Remembering 9/11 – Finding the Positive in the Negative

Today, September 11th, is a difficult day for many of us. To say I wasn’t personally affected would be a lie because even though I didn’t lose a loved one or a family member, I was, and still am, very much affected by the tragedy. And while those awful newsreels still play in my head, my heart holds a different memory: for one shining moment, we as a country, regardless of politics, race, religion, or creed, pulled together as Americans. This, to me, is the historic event we should mark today, not the devastation.

Is America perfect? Absolutely not. We have our share of problems. Crime is too high. The economy is in the dumps. Our governmental systems are broken. And we can’t seem to agree on anything when it comes to politics. But I liken my relationship with my country to a good, solid marriage–I find fault with the U.S., but I don’t love it any less.

So as you go about your business, wearing (hopefully) your red, white, and blue, do so not only with as sense of remembrance for the fallen and for the heroes, but also with a sense of remembrance of what it felt like to be one country again. Even if the guys on Capitol Hill won’t shake hands, we, as citizens, can treat one another with respect and kinship today.

Peace, after all, begins at home.