09/11/2026
I still remember the morning of September 11, 2001.
I took the train into downtown Chicago for work, where I was a legal analyst at the National Anti-Vivisection Society. When I arrived at the office, everyone was gathered around the television, watching the images of the Twin Towers billowing with smoke. It was difficult to comprehend what we were seeing. We didn't know the full extent of the damage, how many people had been hurt, or what was happening.
There was also a very real sense of uncertainty. We wondered whether Chicago could be next. Not long after arriving, I left the office and made my way through the train station crowds to catch the next train home. I remember feeling worried, confused, and asking myself how something like this could have happened.
What I remember most about the days that followed, however, was how Americans came together. Regardless of our differences, there was a shared sense of patriotism and a common desire to protect our country. For a time, those things that divided us seemed much less important than the things that united us.
More than two decades later, I still think about the lives lost that day and the families, friends, and loved ones who continue to carry that loss. September 11 is a reminder that we should never take our freedoms, our country, or one another for granted.
Let's take a moment to remember those who lost their lives, those who served and sacrificed in the aftermath, and how we were changed by that day.
May we always remember, and may we always keep the values that bring us together at heart.
