There are some days you remember because they were happy. There are others you remember because something happened that changed your life. And then there are days that you remember because they changed the world.
September 11, 2001, was one of those days. And now, 25 years later, September 11, 2026, marks the 25th anniversary of that terrible morning.
My wife and I were living in the suburbs south of Atlanta at the time. I was working in IT for a luxury homebuilder in Atlanta, and it was a normal Tuesday morning at work. At least, it was normal until I received an email from my wife, sometime just before 9:00 that morning.
An airplane had crashed into the World Trade Center.
There wasn’t much information yet. We didn’t know what had happened or why. Like many people, I assumed it might have been some kind of terrible accident involving a small or private aircraft.
A few minutes later, my wife called me.
A second plane had hit the other tower.
I can still remember the tone of that phone conversation. Neither of us needed to say very much. Somehow, in those few moments, we both knew that the world was changing.
After that call, I walked around our office as the news continued to trickle in. Before long, the events in New York were all anyone was talking about. At one point, an Army combat veteran who worked in our department told us that someone had just told him a plane had hit the Pentagon.
Then came word that one of the towers had collapsed.
About a half hour later, we heard that another plane had crashed in Pennsylvania.
Then we learned that the second tower had collapsed.
The information kept coming, and each new piece of information seemed more unbelievable than the one before it.
At 11:00 that morning, I told my supervisor I was going to take an early lunch. At the time, my job allowed me to work half a day in the office and half a day at home, and I frequently took an early lunch and then finished the day from home.
I left the office and drove to Peachtree City, where my wife worked. We met at a Chinese restaurant where we frequently had lunch.
The drive there was when I first heard more of the details about Flight 93, the United Airlines flight that had crashed into a field in Pennsylvania.
By the time my wife and I sat down for lunch, the entire atmosphere was different.
The restaurant was full of people, but it was strangely quiet.
People were eating their meals, but very few were talking. Most of us were simply sitting there, processing what had happened that morning.
It was as though everyone in that restaurant understood that we had just witnessed something enormous and terrible together.
We were still trying to comprehend it.
In the days that followed, as devastating as September 11 had been, I also remember seeing some things that gave me hope.
I remember our president calling Americans to prayer and encouraging people to attend their houses of worship. At a moment when our nation was frightened and grieving, there was an unmistakable recognition that this was a time when people needed to turn to God.
I remember the patriotism that swept across America.
Flags seemed to be everywhere. People displayed the American flag on their homes, their cars and their businesses. Americans who might otherwise have had very little in common suddenly stood together as Americans.
And I remember the heroes.
In New York City, countless people demonstrated extraordinary courage and selflessness. Firefighters, police officers, emergency workers, military personnel and ordinary citizens put themselves in danger to help other people.
The same spirit was evident at the Pentagon, where people responded to the disaster by helping one another, regardless of rank or position. Some of our nation’s highest-ranking military leaders found themselves acting as first responders in the middle of the crisis.
That kind of courage says something about the character of a person.
September 11 showed us some of the very best of America in the middle of one of the darkest moments in our history.
It also reminded us that patriotism isn’t simply about waving a flag when things are going well. It is about remembering the people who sacrificed for the country we share, respecting the freedoms we have been given, and standing together when circumstances become difficult.
What happened on September 11 should never become just another date on the calendar.
We should remember the nearly 3,000 people who lost their lives. We should remember their families. We should remember the first responders who ran toward danger while everyone else was trying to escape it. We should remember the passengers and crew of Flight 93 who fought back against the hijackers. And we should remember the countless people whose lives were permanently changed that day.
But I also think we should remember what happened afterward.
For a brief period, Americans remembered how much we had in common.
We remembered our neighbors.
We remembered our heroes.
We remembered our faith.
We remembered our flag.
And we remembered that being an American was something worth being proud of.
I hope we never need another September 11 to remind us of those things.
When I think about patriotic music, there are few songs that have become more closely associated with American pride than “God Bless the USA.”
And Jodi Essex does an amazing job bringing that message home.
So as we remember September 11, let’s remember the lives that were lost, honor those who gave everything to help others, thank God for those who demonstrated extraordinary courage, and remember the country that came together in the aftermath.
Let’s stand up.
Let’s honor our flag.
Let’s celebrate our country.
And let’s be proud to be Americans.
If Jodi Essex’s performance of “God Bless the USA” has introduced you to her music, I encourage you to take a look at more of what she has to offer. Jodi brings a bold Christian-rock sound and an equally bold faith to her music, with songs and albums that encourage listeners to stand firm, live courageously, and trust God. Visit Jodi Essex’s FishWorship artist page to discover more of her music.
🐟