“Even the smallest act of service, the simplest act of kindness, is a way to honor those we lost, a way to reclaim that spirit of unity that followed 9/11.”
-Barack Obama
It’s been a big week here in New Jersey at MCFA and in the Kraemer house. Professionally, we are mobilizing and recruiting for big projects that are kicking off and riding the end of fiscal year proposal wave. Personally, it’s been a transition from swim club and beach weekends back to school and sports schedules.
I can’t ignore the 20th anniversary of 9/11, which feels especially heavy this year with the recent efforts to evacuate Afghanistan. 20 years? How is that possible?
So, where were you?
It’s one of those questions that we ask a lot when the anniversary of 9/11 comes around. I was starting my Yearling (Sophomore) year at West Point. I had just left Physics class and then…you know the story. My West Point class remembers the events of 9/11 with this short video.
Hard to believe it’s been 20 years. Sometimes it feels like yesterday, and other times it feels like an eternity. Many lives were lost that day, and many more lives were lost defending those ideals we hold so dearly.
But, somehow, while the emotions of that day come back to me, I always think about the period right after the attacks. We were the UNITED States of America. American flags flying everywhere. U-S-A chants would start small and turn into a roar at random sporting events, bars and college campuses. We were a nation that was focused on helping and healing. We were a nation united.
9/11 was a reminder that we have a lot more in common than what divides us. So this weekend, let us honor the memories of those lost by finding a small way to be united. Connect with a neighbor or a stranger. Say thank you to a police officer in your community or help someone less fortunate.
9/11 was IS a reminder we have a lot more in common than what divides us.
BJ Kraemer, President