Life is too short. Don’t take anything for granted. Fourteen years ago, our nation was shaken by the senseless acts of heartless terrorists. Many lives were sacrificed on that day, and countless more have been sacrificed since. When you wake up in the morning, thank God that you are safe, and can go about your day enjoying the many freedoms we are guaranteed as Americans — all due to the selfless devotion, bravery, heroism, and valor of the men and women of the Armed Forces of the United States.

Image Courtesy Huffington Post

It’s easy to get lost in the politics, the debates, the arguments, and complaints about the state of our country or the direction in which we’re headed. But I ask you today, on Patriot Day, to keep ever mindful of how lucky we truly are to call ourselves Americans. Let us also #NeverForget the men and women who go to work every day as police officers, firefighters, emergency medical technicians, and other first responders who protect us day and night. From the bottom of my heart, thank you.

Do you remember where you were on September 11, 2001? I was in Mr. Chestnut’s third period Honors Introduction to Physical Science class at Clearview High School in New Jersey. The principal came over the loudspeaker and informed us that there was some sort of bombing in New York City, and that the details were unfolding. The administration turned on the classroom televisions and the classroom full of ninth graders watched in horror and disbelief as the events of that morning unfolded. I remember going from class to class that day, in complete silence, and watching some of the toughest teachers become incredibly emotional. No teacher assigned classwork that day, except for my history teacher. He instructed us to keep listening to the news as the details poured in. My thirteen-year-old brain tried to wrap itself around the idea of our country being attacked. The days following were extremely difficult as I heard the story repeated everywhere: on the news, in class, and at our dinner table.

I saved the front page of the Philadelphia Inquirer from September 12, 2001, and I look at it every year on this anniversary. It changed the course of our country and our world almost instantaneously, and the words “U.S. ATTACKED” are, to this date, the largest headline text I’ve ever seen on a newspaper front page.

I would ask you to keep a moment of silence today for the men and women who sacrificed their lives on 9/11, for those who have lost their lives fighting for our freedom, and for those who protect us every day.