I Am.

It is custom for us to honor our dead. Moreover, if they died valiantly then we must pay them homage all the more. We honor how they lived and use that as a template for how our lives should be lived. So imagine then how we remember those that died while trying to save lives. Those who died in service to others. Valiant, fearless and brave; unselfish and heroic. I once heard a quote, though I can't remember from where, that resonates in my mind when I think of all the brave men and women that perished at Ground Zero on 9/11 ten years ago. The saying goes:

"We are who we protect. We are those we stand in front of."

I hope I haven't misquoted but the gist is there. We see goodness in others and so we do good to protect them. We may not feel innocent but, when we see the innocence in a child, we do whatever it takes to protect that innocence; we'll go to great lengths to protect that child, even if he or she isn't ours. What's more, if we are who we protect, then so too is it true that we are who is protecting us. Those that live because of the heroes that saved them carry on the legacy of that hero. Those that were saved because of the bravery of a few should remember that that same bravery exists in them all.

Remember.

Remember.

Remember.

Remember that many brave and innocent souls died on September 11th, 2001 but also remember that they all lived and were loved. Remember that we were all Americans that day, unified in tragedy under one banner. Remember that you are an American first before anything else and never forget that we all owe it to those that died in tragedy to come together as one people and prove to the enemies of this great nation that we are not so easily divided. But above all, remember to be proud that you are American and don't wait another 10 years to be patriotic.