By Andrea Carlile
We all remember that moment on September 11, 2001. We remember what we felt. We thought about how things have never been the same again. For the first time, we were made vulnerable.
However, there were those who came and showed that no amount of terrorism would break the hearts of the American people. Heroes arose and the country united like never before. Political parties became one. Religions, cultures, and beliefs that differed became irrelevant as we came together to stand proud as Americans. We realized the value of protecting our precious freedoms.
Our military answered the call to defend against terror in Iraq and Afghanistan. Our police and firefighters tirelessly searched through wreckage for survivors at ground zero, many giving their own lives for the cause.
As the towers fell, our hearts rose to defend in unity. Twelve years have passed and we remember the fallen, the day that changed everything. I like to think though, that the terrorists only strengthened the American people by giving us a unified passion and purpose.
Our differences just didn’t seem all that different anymore. Every year on September 11, we are reminded not only of those who passed, but also of the heroes and the passion of American resolve. We remember public safety workers and the greatest military in the world.
Hopefully, we also remember our unity and nothing destroys our patriotic spirit.
Andrea Carlile is the spouse of a 12-year military veteran, received her Master’s from Indiana Wesleyan University, speaks to groups about PTSD, and is pursuing a career in Family and Marital Therapy. The War That Came Home is her first novel, and she hopes to publish more books in the near future.
