Last night, I watched the movie World Trade Center for the first time—fittingly, since today the 18-year anniversary of when 9/11 happened—and I was struck by several things. The bravery of the first responders, the fear of the families left behind, and, more than anything, the unity that everyone displayed in the wake of such devastation.
I remember that unity. I remember that quiet strength that, no, we would leave no one behind. Everyone was our neighbor. Everyone was our friend, our family. It was beautiful and heartbreaking at the same time. A little sliver of the purest light amid the darkest day.
And now, 18 years on, look at what we’ve become.