It has been over 20 years since the September 11th terrorist attacks on America. It was one of the worst days in the history of this country. However, the unity we had on September 12th was something that we desperately need again.

9/11 was one of the biggest tragedies to ever occur on U.S. soil. I'd never want to see another event like that happen again. However, I would love for us as Americans to go back to the way we were on 9/12, and I know that I am not alone in feeling this way. Let's first reflect on 9/11.

Everyone remembers where they were when the events of 9/11 took place. I was in my sixth-grade classroom. We had another teacher come in and tell our teacher to turn on the TV. As a kid, I didn't quite comprehend what was going on. I knew that a lot of people had died, but I didn't understand how big of a deal that event was at the time. Looking back, we had lived through something that would change the world as we knew it.

To this day, I find myself going back and watching documentaries about 9/11 this time of year. It may sound a little odd, but as I said, when it happened, I didn't understand what was going on. Now, in my 30s, I see the events unfold through different eyes. I realize now what really occurred that day, how significant it was in history, and how it affected the way society went about their day-to-day.

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One thing that I do remember is the fear that everyone had after the towers fell. Americans were wondering why?  What's next? And who was responsible? We all were on the same page. We were afraid and quite frankly, we were pissed. Even with all of that, I miss the day after 9/11.

Here's why...

There is so much hate and dispute among Americans today. Especially in 2021. You know what I am talking about, it's on the news every day. Whether it's someone kneeling for the flag, race, politics, riots, police brutality, or someone's sexual orientation, or even the COVID vaccine, it seems like everyone has a reason to be mad or dislike others. We are a divided nation, and it is getting worse than I have seen it in my lifetime.

How did we come to this point?

The day after 9/11, there was no black, white, gay, straight, religion, or politics. We were Americans. Everyone rushed out to buy a flag and display it proudly on their porch or vehicle. We all wanted to do something to help our fellow Americans. We mourned, we volunteered, and we came together. In my opinion, we were never stronger as a nation than on September 12, 2001.

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With all of the events that have occurred over the past few years, I find it hard to see us getting back to where we were on that day. It seems like we can't have a different view on things without bashing each other on social media. It seems like we can't try to mend things and make life better for one another. There's a lot of hate in this country right now, and I for one am not a fan of it. We choose to argue and belittle one another rather than trying to find solutions and stand on common ground. NEWSFLASH: We are STILL Americans, we have the opportunity to reflect upon that fateful day 21 years ago, and choose to do better.

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How do we get back to that day?

Surely it won't take another event like 9/11 to bring us together again. Why should we always come together during hard times? The pandemic was another hard time not only in the United States but throughout the world. It caused a lot of hardships, but we didn't come together as we did on 9/12. Why is that? We need to learn to love each other once again. Accept that we may have a difference of opinion on things, but realize that we all are people. Just like Alan Jackson said in his song "Where Were You When The World Stopped Turning":

I know Jesus and I talk to God, and I remember this from when I was young faith, hope, and love are some good things He gave us, and the greatest is love.

I wish we could all learn to love each other again as we did on 9/12. Hopefully one day soon, we can go back to being united, not divided. We can disagree and still be friends. We have done it before. I may have been a child then, but I know we still had disputes in 2001. After 9/11, those went out the door and we were united. I know that I can't be the only one who longs for that day to come back once again. It's just a matter of ALL of us putting in the work to put our differences aside, stop hiding behind a keyboard, and find ways to come together so that we can come out of this pandemic as strong as we did when we came out of 9/11.

See 20 Ways America Has Changed Since 9/11

For those of us who lived through 9/11, the day’s events will forever be emblazoned on our consciousnesses, a terrible tragedy we can’t, and won’t, forget. Now, two decades on, Stacker reflects back on the events of 9/11 and many of the ways the world has changed since then. Using information from news reports, government sources, and research centers, this is a list of 20 aspects of American life that were forever altered by the events of that day. From language to air travel to our handling of immigration and foreign policy, read on to see just how much life in the United States was affected by 9/11.

NEVER FORGET: Images from 9/11 and the days after

 

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