WASHINGTON — It was 19 years ago Friday that our nation was attacked by terrorists. The loss of life was devastating, and the repercussions of the assault are still being felt.
The attack left us feeling scared, lost and angry. Exactly what our assailants wanted. It was a dark time. But we found our way through by coming together. We united. Working past the fear and anger by leaning on and into each other.
There were some who tried to exploit those feelings for their own purposes. And there were those who gave in to those emotions and followed along. But the majority refused. They chose a higher place, for the collective good.
Today we’re facing another assault. Our losses unimaginable. The battle we’re in with this virus has us again feeling scared and angry. The only way we are going to successfully navigate the waters we now find ourselves in is to lean on each other once again.
While it may not be easy, due to a lack of cohesive leadership, we can still do it. We can still place the health of the collective ahead of imagined grievances and petty selfishness. Unfortunately, we haven’t gotten there yet.
But 9/11 showed us what we are capable of, and who we can be. Take a few moments to reflect on this today. Let the memories serve as an inspiration, and then, let’s move forward together, like we did before.