September 11, 2001. It was a day that dawned with a beautiful crystal clear, blue sky. Children headed off to school and adults to their responsibilities on what started as a deceptively typical late summer day but ended as a day that changed the world. We listened and watched in stunned silence as the terror unfolded in New York, Washington D.C., and Shanksville, PA, and we struggled to comprehend the extent of this tragedy as events unfolded.
Yet the events of that day revealed the resilience and resolve of our country. We saw the heroic acts of first responders; people spontaneously singing “God Bless America” on their train ride home; American flags proudly and defiantly popping up on overpasses; and people performing numerous acts of compassion and caring. We saw our best selves.
It is now 20 years since a day that is impossible to forget. That spirit of unity and comity is not as obvious. The world is more connected, more complicated, and more challenging. As we mark this anniversary, we remember and mourn all that has been lost and still have hope for tomorrow.
–Tidelines Editors
(Image credit: Tidelines Editors)