What did 9/11 teach you?

I heard this question on the radio yesterday and I think it is an intriguing one. We can argue over who or what caused the tragic events of 9/11/2001 for years on end and hopefully we will someday understand the entirety of the events but for now, this day is about the victims, of the over 3000 murdered that day.

What does it mean to remember? Reading the 3000+ names of the deceased? My guess is most of us no longer listen to that. Not because we don't care but we don't have a personal connection to them as individuals. But as Americans we all have a personal connection to them as a group. Someday that will stop but it won't mean we have forgotten. All of us old enough to understand life and death on that day, learned something that day.

What did you learn on 9/11? And do you still carry that with you?

For me it was the first time I really saw heroism. Not trhough the news broadcasts, endless interviews of selfless people who all rightfully, though maybe reluctantly deserve hero status... no, rather in the realization that I grew up in a family of fire fighters and thought that was 'just their job' until that day. I never realized why they did what they did and I had my own heros in my own family.

Anyone of my uncles, two cousins and my grandfather would have stormed up either of those towers just as they would run into your house should you ever have your very own 9/11. They have, countless times, been called away from family gatherings. Graduations, wedding recpetions, or even just an evening meal to answer someone's call for help.

I learned what my military friend's meant when they said it was about the men standing next to them. My life became more about my family, friends and strangers standing next to me. We never know who OUR first responder is going to be in OUR time of need.