Many of us remember the moment on Sept. 11, 2001, when White House Chief of Staff Andrew Card whispered into President George W. Bush’s ear that we had been attacked.
At the time, the president was in a second grade classroom in Sarasota, Florida, where children were reading at the instruction of their teacher, Kay Daniels. Rather than jump up and immediately exit the room, Bush continued to sit with the children and their teacher.
It was clear from the president’s expression that he was uneasy. However, his ability to maintain his composure during a crisis is something we can all reflect upon, draw strength from and apply to our life today. Bush paused and considered the impact of an immediate exit on the very young students. His patience averted distress, fear and trauma. He remained calm in the midst of uncertainty and panic. This was his posture throughout the attacks, recovery and rebuilding.
Bush did an exceptional job guiding our country and the world through a horrific tragedy. But the larger and more uplifting response was from the American people.
While the attacks brought great sadness and suffering to American soil, they also pierced our consciousness and penetrated our souls. We rallied together as Americans because we loved our country. We prayed for the deceased. We admired the first responders. We honored their selflessness and bravery. No one was concerned about political affiliation, race, gender, ZIP codes, education, economic status or age. We were all citizens who grieved and shared in a collective loss.
The attack on the towers and the Pentagon was not just an attack on buildings. It was an attack on America. We were a nation that was wounded. Not only were we geographically, physically and environmentally wounded, but our souls were wounded. We needed healing.
The counterterrorism response helped to assuage the wounds and pain. However, whether living the experience in New York, Virginia and Pennsylvania, or repeatedly witnessing the events on television, they seared an indelible impression on our hearts. We did not know how to navigate through the loss and pain. So we did the only thing we knew how to do at the time — come together as a people, as survivors.
We refused to let hatred seep into our soul. We rejected narratives that attempted to divide us. We resisted the notion that we would not recover. Many communities, cultures and religions came together as one. We personified the “United States of America.”
In our own woundedness, we focused on humanity and how we could help our neighbors who had been harmed. With compassion, sorrow, empathy and patriotism, we became our own first responders. We were each other’s hope. We raised money, donated to fundraisers, opened our doors and prayed for one another.
We were resilient. We rebounded. We rose.
As Americans, this is who we are at our core. This does not discount the values and spirit of other countries, but Sept. 11 changed us for the better. It showed us our grit, God’s grace and tragedy’s guidance. We saw how we can respond in a crisis. We saw God’s protective presence, and we saw how other countries supported us.
If there are three lessons we can take from the experience, they are these:
1. Not everything — even the worst of things — requires an immediate reaction or answer.
2. We have been provoked, tested, attacked and hurt. Yet, with wounds, bandages and scars, we know how to come together, galvanize around a cause, lock arms and become stronger for one another.
3. The American flag, the Constitution, the Declaration of Independence and numerous monuments are emblematic of our many triumphs. It is the first three words of the Constitution that we must remember: “We the People.” Our nation is comprised of amazing people who believe in humanity.
Sept. 11 compelled us to show the world our bounceback, our buoyancy and our benevolence. These attributes are not who we used to be — they are who we are.
May we continue to remember the deceased, victims and survivors of Sept. 11. May we continue to remember its lessons.