Trigger warnings for death and related themes.

I always take a moment to read the plaques that say “in memory of” on benches and walls while traveling. I figure that’s why someone took the time to put a sign there in the first place. The person, or more likely their family members, wanted someone to read it. They wanted to make sure their loved ones were remembered, even by strangers in passing. 

Often, I find myself wondering how they chose that spot. Did the person really like that place or pick the spot from a short list or catalog? I know if I were going to have a little sign to commemorate my life long after I’m gone, I would most certainly want it to be a place I loved. I would want this spot to have a view that was etched in my mind and recurring in my dreams. 

With criteria like that, I have to imagine it would be hard for my family to pick just one place. Would they pick a view with sand and waves or mountain peaks? Or do they pick something closer to home like a barstool or basketball hoop? They could visit any time. 

Today we commemorate 2,983 names etched in bronze at the World Trade Center, remembered in a place they did not choose. People who woke up that morning with plans. People with families and friends. People who didn’t get to make a frivolous selection about where to put a plaque. People who did not have a choice where to be remembered. 

I think all of us remember where we were on September 11th when the towers went down. I was at school in Northern Virginia, just miles away from Washington DC. I spent the day worrying if my mom was ok. She went to work that morning at the Pentagon. While she made it home safely, our neighbor did not. His daughter and I were the same age. I remember lighting a candle in a paper bag near the end of our driveway. Each night that week, every neighbor stood together to remember him in the cool night air as the sun set. I still think of him and my classmate who lost her dad every year.

Let us remember all of those people we lost that day in every part of our hearts. The people who ran toward the towers as they collapsed, sacrificing their lives to save others. The people in the towers, the Pentagon, and planes. Let us honor these lives that were cut short 25 years ago by living our own fully. Let us honor them by remembering to live.