I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again.  September 11th should be National Hug A Hero Day.

I don’t think any of us will soon forget where we were 15 years ago as the world changed forever.  I was getting ready for class during my first semester at college.  My mom and I watched the Today Show live all morning as the event unfolded.  The sound of the towers falling and the eerie sound of all those beeps from the fallen firefighters are haunting.  I remember sitting in English with Dr. Paul and everyone was just silent.  No one knew what to say or how to process what was happening.  I remember how quiet the skies were in the days following and how we ran to the driveway every time we heard the fighter jets flying over.

When I watch all of the 9/11 specials that come on TV this time of year, I’m still in awe of all of the heroes of the day.  All of the firefighters, medics, and police officers that rushed to help at the site of the towers and to the Pentagon, and all of the heroes that continued to flood in from all over the country in the days following.  The military personnel around the world who jumped into action to protect our country as we were under attack, and their families bravely holding down the fort at home.  But there are the everyday heroes too.  The passengers of Flight 93 who, facing certain death, over took the terrorists and possibly saved the lives of thousands more people on the ground.  The ferry boat captains who helped for hours to evacuate thousands of people out of Manhattan.  Government officials, at all levels, making hard decisions and doing what they could to keep the country safe.  Friends, neighbors, coworkers, strangers who saw someone in need and helped.  Mr. Rodgers always says to look for the helpers when bad things happen.  No one had to look far that day.  Heroes were all around us.

I think if we learn nothing else from that day, we can see that deep down, we’re all in this together.  We are one.  We are Americans.  We come in all colors, shapes, sizes, beliefs, and backgrounds.  And when it comes down to it, none of that matters because we are all Americans and we stand together.

Let’s remember the lessons from that day and carry the spirit of those heroes with us.  It doesn’t need to be September 11th for us to be kind to someone or to help our neighbor.  Simple acts of service all year long will honor the memory of those we lost that day and as a result of those awful attacks.

We should remember the purpose each of us has with our lives and the charge given to us to Love Thy Neighbor, no matter what that looks like (or what they look like).

We should never take for granted the sacrifices of our military members and their families as serve to protect our great nation.

We should never forget the bravery of those firefighters, paramedics, and police officers at home who run towards the danger as the rest of us run away everyday.

We must NEVER FORGET.

Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. John 15:13

My Daddy.  My Hero.  Always.