I can still picture that morning. I was in 7th grade at Zion Lutheran School, sitting in first hour. It was a beautiful September morning. I remember seeing Pastor Peters and Mrs. Baker talking and immediately noticing how serious they were. We had been dropped off at school that morning like any other day, having no idea our world was about to change forever.
There is so much about September 11 that we will never forget. The lives lost. The heroes who ran toward danger. The families whose lives changed in an instant. But I also remember what happened afterward. We came together. We checked on our neighbors. We flew our flags. We prayed together. For a little while, the things that divided us didn’t seem quite as important.
Twenty-five years later, maybe that’s something worth remembering too. Our country is at its best when we remember that we’re neighbors first. At Guest House, we get a small glimpse of that every day around our tables. Different ages, backgrounds, opinions and stories, all sharing the same community.
Today we remember those we lost, honor those who served and sacrificed, and pray we never forget how powerful unity can be.
