Last Friday marked the 25th anniversary of 9-11, so my wife and I watched various TV programs about it. I won’t go into detail about what happened to me that day, except to say I was at work, watched the events unfold on TV, management sent us home early, and I spent the rest of the day with my wife watching TV while fielding panicked calls from family and friends. It was a sobering day.

I would rather focus on what happened in the days after that event. The ABC network aired a show called “9-11: United We Stand,” highlighting events after 9-11 and their impact on people’s lives. I had forgotten how the country set aside its differences and came together. There was no posturing or politics; everyone was united in the face of tragedy and willing to collaborate to achieve common goals.

Today, I wonder what we’ve learned—or forgotten—about our nation. Over the past 25 years, we’ve shifted from unity to division, with opposing sides no longer communicating but instead insulting or blaming each other in the media. People disown friends and family over politics, seek like-minded others, and protest online and in the streets, mostly shouting, “Hooray for our side,” as Buffalo Springfield said. Surrounding ourselves with allies doesn’t prove we’re right; it only shows bias. Worse, these groups attempt to dominate and impose their views. Looking at our landscape, I feel our country has changed, and I question why we’ve forgotten the lessons of 9-11.

In a divided nation, we must not add to the negativity. Stand up for your rights respectfully, voice your beliefs, and listen. If discussions turn hostile, with name-calling, they’re no longer productive. Accept that people won’t always see things your way; agree to disagree and move on. Sometimes it’s necessary to walk away from toxic people or avoid divisive topics to preserve peace. Focus on common ground rather than differences, echoing the line from “The Living Years”: “It’s too late, when we die, To admit we don’t see eye to eye.”

If you talk the talk, then walk the walk by taking constructive action. Instead of just complaining about high prices or government shortcomings, help those who can’t afford them. Give your time and money, work with groups that assist others, and choose your battles wisely in Jesus’ name. Find what you’re good at and do it. Complaining on social media accomplishes little; instead, push our leaders to do their jobs by supporting the less fortunate and by managing budgets better so no one is left behind. 

Finally, we do all of this prayerfully, following Jesus’s example and applying it to our lives. While we can’t change the world, we can start by changing ourselves, not for our glory but for His. We must listen to God’s voice, for He may guide us to unexpected places where we are needed. As God’s light in the world, we should let our words and actions reflect that light, helping others and allowing God to transform lives. To honor 9-11, we must remember moments of unity and then do God’s work in the world. Let us not neglect the work He has given us.

Take care,

Bill R.