It is hard to imagine so much time has passed since America was attacked by terrorists.
Twenty-one years have gone by, and the events of that day remain powerful and distinct but begin to fade just a bit from our mindset.
For those who lost loved ones on that fateful day there will never be closure.
That’s just the harsh reality about trying to move on after terrorism and hate has changed your life.
Remembrance of the searing images of the airplanes disappearing into the Twin Towers at the moment of impact are impossible to put away neatly in our minds.
The deaths of so many innocents on that day – about 3,000 men and women – represents one of the worst intrusions into American life throughout our history.
Worse yet, we were attacked on our own soil.
That had not happened since the British Fleet sailed up the Potomac River During the War of 1812 and British troops then succeeded in burning down Washington DC.
The September 11 attack changed our world. It altered our consciousness.
The following years and decades have been influenced by that attack.
It caused a war in Afghanistan and then in Iraq.
It affected our reputation in the world.
We have looked at immigrants to our country differently since that attack.
However, the promise that was made after the September 11 attack that we would never be attacked like that again has been kept by a succession of administrations.
We have been unrelenting and perhaps a bit heavy handed in protecting ourselves but then, who is going to protect us if we don’t protect ourselves.
We honor those who died.
We remember them. We celebrate their sacrifice.
The nation has not forgotten September 11 – not yet anyway. The reminder to those who would attack us remains in tact –we will come for you. We will find you. We will destroy you.
September 11 is about never again.
Never again.