MY TURN - We've forgotten what we learned on September 11

Most of us remember exactly where we were and what we were doing when two planes flew into the World Trade Center and another into the Pentagon on that bright blue September morning seven years ago. We remember the shock, the fear, and the plaguing questions of who, why, and what next? For the first time, we felt vulnerable in a way we never thought we could. Our national confidence and complacency were shattered. We realized we were not immune to the terrorism we’d witnessed in other parts of the world. It had finally hit our homeland and that took some getting used to. So we reached out to each other for comfort, for reassurance, or just to keep from feeling alone. We weren’t afraid to admit we needed each other. People were kinder, more patient, more supportive, and just plain nicer to each other for months after September 11, 2001. We leaned on each other. We were all on the same team. I remember teaching my 9:00 a.m. class at a college in the Atlanta area when news of the attacks spread down the hall. Classes were cancelled and students and teachers gathered in front of classroom TV sets watching history unfold. Even though they were dismissed, on-campus students were reluctant to go back to their dorms and commuting students were hesitant to drive home. Suddenly 19 and 20 year olds seemed more like children. They needed the wisdom of our years, but we needed the hope of their youth. So we all stayed together. We held hands and hugged. We prayed. During those first difficult months after the attacks, it was okay to admit we didn’t have all the answers and we were willing to work together to find them. We were generous with each other and more tolerant of each other’s foibles. Perhaps it was the reminder that we’re all mortal and any moment could be our last. That thought was probably not foremost in the minds of those who left for work on September 11, and then perished in the Twin Towers that day. It was probably not in the minds of those who kissed them good bye as they left home. But for the rest of us, those thoughts were suddenly inescapable and we behaved accordingly for awhile. It shouldn’t take such horrific events to remind us of the fragility and unpredictability of life. We should appreciate every minute while we have it and pay attention to those we love while we have them. We should fight complacency and stop taking our blessings for granted. We should be present in every moment and make it count. We should think about the consequences of our actions and the effects of our words. As we again remember the world-changing events that took place on September 11, seven years ago, let’s hope we also remember how we felt in the days afterward. We felt small and helpless as individuals, but bigger and stronger as a nation because for a time, we were united as we stood together against a common enemy. We worked toward common goals and focused not on ourselves, but on the greater good. Let’s not ever forget that while we’re remembering.