Today I don't have a photo for you.
No cheesy tribute photo, no attempt to understand this day through photographic interpretation when I still, to this day, have trouble fully comprehending what happened.
You see, its been five years since our country was attacked by terrorists, five years since many innocent people lost their lives in some of the most horrible ways conceivable, five years since we all witnessed ultimate acts of human bravery and self-sacrifice as well as ultimate acts of human depravity and cruelty.
I'm not going to preach politics to you, as many other blogs will undoubtably do today. I won't bore you with self-aggrandizing tales of what I experienced that day. All of us have equally important tales of what we experienced that awful day.
Instead, I want to ask you to do something.
Remember.
Thats it. Never, ever forget what happened five years ago. Never forget your anger and fear. Never forget your slowly dawning disbelief at the enormity of the attacks on our nation. Never forget how the attacks changed your life. How your priorities shifted.
Remember.
Never forget what you and people the world over did that day and the days after. Whether it was giving blood, donating money to charity, calling a loved one or simply saying a prayer. Don't forget that.
Remember.
Remember what our society was like before and after September 11th 2001. Question yourself as to whether or not you are satisfied with how things are in the world today. What are you going to do about it? Remember, we all have the power to change things. Nineteen men used their power to create carnage and destruction. To cause the people of the world to fear, cause some to hate. Caused us all to look at each other with suspicion. It only took nineteen men to do that. There are millions of us. Millions of us who want peace. Changing the world starts with us. Here. Now.
Remember.
Remember those lost. Remember all the heroes who sacrificed their lives trying to save the lives of others. Remember those passengers on Flight 93 who decided to take matters into their own hands, who died trying not only to save their own lives, but the lives of others as well. Remember the innocent people, who were just doing their jobs, who never had a chance. The airline passengers, the airline crews, the office workers whose last decision was whether to die by being burned to death or to die by jumping out of an office building. And, politics aside, you must also remember those who died at the Pentagon. They also never had a chance.
Remember.
Remember ten years from now, when this day becomes a national day of remembrance. When you are at home with your family and friends. Perhaps having one last barbeque before the crisp days of fall settle in. Please remember why that day is a holiday. Please remember to take a moment and reflect, appreciate those around you.
Always Remember.
