18 years ago today an unimaginable tragedy shook this nation.

18 years.

Wow. It doesn’t feel like it’s been that long. This is a day I will never fail to stop and recognize. This is a day I wear something black on every year. This is a day I struggle not to cry on every year. This is a day I will never forget every year. 

It’s weird to imagine a memory I have in someone’s history book. But I teach kids who weren’t even born when the twin towers were struck. Isn’t that even a little disgruntling? The easiest way to lose a memory is to push it aside, to neglect it, to brush over it. I simply can’t do that. Not today.

For those of you who don’t know, or who don’t live here, 9/11 is a day we Americans pause to remember the tragedy of the terrorist attack on our nation in 2001. Four planes were hijacked. Two sent into the World Trade Center, one into the Pentagon, and one reclaimed by the heroic passengers and later crashed into a field in Pennsylvania.

This is the day we remember the thousands of people who died at the hands of extremism and cruelty. This is the day we remember the selfless men and women who sacrificed themselves to minimize the damage, the emergency personnel who had one heck of a long day that day. Today we honor the fallen and salute the survivors. 

The night before there were suitcases packed last minute, bags set out for the impending trip. There were fathers who tucked in their children and husbands who kissed their wives. There were mothers who served dinner and wives who snuggled closer to their husbands. All for the last time. There were children who forgot to call their parents before crashing for the night, putting it off for the next time they remembered. Only, there never was a next time. 

But they didn’t know that. We aren’t promised another tomorrow. We may not see the sun rise again. We have absolutely no idea what a day may hold. So take this as a day not only to remember the thousands of innocent lives we lost far too early, but also to remember your loved ones.

Have a little more grace with your kids tonight. Eat around the dinner table. Put your phones away and talk. Give them a tight hug for no other reason than that you love them. Kiss the tops of their heads. Read them that extra bedtime story. Tell your wife how much you appreciate her. Thank your husband for something, even if it’s small and seemingly insignificant. Call your mother. Encourage your father. Text your best friend. Let the people you love know that you love them. Don’t ever let them doubt. And don’t ever let the sun fall on your anger. You may not get the chance to right it.

If anything, this day should remind us of just how precious life truly is. The gift we’ve been given–and it is a gift–is priceless. How we choose to spend each precious moment is up to us. We can spend today in misery, angry with someone or complaining about something. We can lash out and hurt others with our words and disappoint them with our actions. We can tear each other down, abandon all civility, simply because we fail to see eye to eye.

Or…or we can use our time to grow, to be better people, to help others. We can bite our tongues, or even choose to offer an encouraging smile instead. We can practice patience and understanding. We can try to see life from someone else’s shoes. We have the unique opportunity to live right now the best that we can. We can educate the coming generations and ensure that they understand the significance of days like today. We can choose to uplift and heal others, with our words, our actions. We can choose to remember this day.

In the aftermath of the tragedy of 9/11, our nation did something amazing. We put aside every possible difference we could have with one another. We reached out a helping hand, heedless of who the person was or what they believed. We cried out to God Himself. People housed victims, healed them. They fed people, provided supplies and met needs. Without complaint. People spoke kindly and acted generously. They rallied around each other. People stepped up and filled the void with love, not with hate.

In today’s world, I struggle to imagine our society would react the same way. We’re at each other’s throats most of the time, and over something as silly as can be. Lord knows if anyone brings politics to the going to be a bloody battle, even if it’s Thanksgiving. We’re so divisive. So defensive. So determined to be right instead of . Why can’t we be more loving? Why can’t we show mercy and extend grace? We can’t even have a simple conversation without cutting throats anymore. Everyone is looking for an excuse to be offended. How is that a life worth living?

We can’t take our time for granted. We can’t take each other for granted. We have to strive to be the best version of ourselves. And we have to know that that is a lifelong journey. If we would pull together, help one another instead of hurting, we could achieve amazing things. Tower of Babble anyone?!) But more than that, we could make this a life our children are proud to be a part of. We could make this a world that shows kindness in the midst of grief and loss. It’s all up to us.

How will you choose to remember? How will you choose to be remembered?

Love always,
Coralie