Daily Herald opinion: On this Patriot Day, local events help us ‘never forget’ the tragedy – and unity – 23 years ago
Almost everyone can tell you exactly where they were the morning of Sept. 11, 2001.
Of course, it’s a day we’ll never forget. And it’s a memory we hope to always keep.
The phrase “never forget” has become ubiquitous with Sept. 11.
Open any of your social media feeds today and you’ll see the posts.
Black smoke billowing from the twin towers.
Buildings exploding and crumbling.
Debris-covered first responders.
Beams of light radiating from Ground Zero.
And the text on all these posts – “We will never forget.”
Yes, it’s hard to see these images – photos we look at every year to help us remember the lives lost and the first responders who heroically rushed into danger to save them.
And these posts remind us how we can still come together to remember a tragic day in American history.
Events around the suburbs today are doing just that to mark Patriot Day, offering people a place to remember, grieve and never forget.
Kudos to towns like Des Plaines, St. Charles, Lombard, Palatine, Elgin, Wheaton and many others – so many, we can’t possibly list them all here – for holding public remembrance ceremonies paying tribute to those we lost. Wreaths were laid, moments of silence were observed and heroes were honored.
Although we are thousands of miles away from the 9/11 memorial in New York City, the Pentagon and the field in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, suburban remembrances allow us to feel connected to those we lost, to relive memories that can still feel raw and to never forget this tragic day in our country’s history.
It’s painful to remember the loss and suffering of 9/11. But we’re also reminded that we came together, supported one another and unified under horrible circumstances.
That feeling of connection is needed today more than ever. Reliving the emotions of that day serves as a reminder of what our country can be and how we can still unite even in times of deep division.
We can make a choice to stand together, help our fellow Americans and never forget a day that changed us forever.
As you hear bells toll, or see rows of American flags lining green fields, or hear the names of lives lost, or pay your respects at a ceremony, or observe a moment of silence, remember the day America was attacked. The impact, the fear, the grief.
But also remember the strong emotions that bonded us in the aftermath – unity, compassion and patriotic spirit.
On this Patriot Day, as you observe local tributes, watch on TV or see a post on social media, we hope these are the emotions you never forget.