How Will You Commemorate September 11, 2001?

September 11, 2001, is one of those days that many Americans know exactly where they were when it happened. Other such days in my life include the assassination of John F. Kennedy, the attempted assassination of Ronald Reagan, and the attempted assassination of Donald Trump. They are all events that are difficult to forget because they had such an impact on our lives.

September 11 is one of those days that Americans use as a marker of the type of nation that America was before that day and what kind it was after that day. This site defines September 11 this way: 

The nation changed forever on September 11, 2001. Many Americans remember a country before and a country after, and for many young Americans, only a country after. Terrorist attacks causing tragic loss of life at the World Trade Center in New York City, the Pentagon in sight of the nation’s capital, and a quiet field in southern Pennsylvania led to conversations and reflection on American identity, patriotism, security, and service that resonate today.

September 11 became a National Day of Remembrance and a day of service. The actual event brought people “together to grieve family, friends, and strangers.” It has now been 24 years, and we still come together to grieve. A day sometimes known as “Patriots Day” or “Day of Remembrance,” September 11 is now “an annual day for many Americans to remember, reflect, honor, and mourn.”

The National Park System has the Flight 93 National Memorial in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, “as a memorial to 40 passengers and crew who thwarted an additional attack preventing the loss of more lives.” There are also memorials in New York City and the Pentagon. I have been to the site in New York City, and my hearts strings were pulled as tears recognized the devastation. There are other memorials in communities across the nation.

September 11 has also become a day of service. “To honor the spirit of sacrifice made that day and the sacrifices that continue to be made by community members, first responders, and members of the armed forces and their families, we unite in a National Day of Service happening in communities and public lands across the country.

The local units of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints performed acts of service across the country. Service opportunities are organized through JustServe.org. In checking the site, I found at least six ways to serve on September 11.