23 years ago I was watching the news coverage of 9/11 unfold on the television. I don’t remember anything about the actual attack, or the day the nation and arguably the world was changed because I was only two years old at the time. 

It might have been first grade when my classes first started learning about 9/11 in school. Our teachers were so diligent in teaching us about what happened on the anniversary and I’m not sure we will ever forget. 

I could be wrong but I can recall NBC News airing a special about the attacks marking the fifth anniversary, I would have been in second grade then. The special brought me to tears. Even 23 years later, the stories still deeply move me. 

Each year around the anniversary, I start to read stories about 9/11 again. Some of the stories were published years ago. The stories invoke emotions of hope, grief and resilience. Other stories are recently published, bringing a new chapter to the story. I read a story Monday about the young people who are starting to partake in the tradition of remembering 9/11, many of them were born years after the dark day but are searching for a connection to their relatives. 

Photographs have stood the test of time and helped tell the story of not only what happened but what people felt. Emotions cut through the frame. I read a story Monday about a collection of memories by photographers who worked that day to capture a significant moment in American history. 

Some of the photographs will stick with me for the rest of my life. One of the more famous images captured shows three firefighters raising an American flag while a skeleton of rubble and twisted steel is behind them. Readers may not know two other photographers captured the same moment with different angles and perspectives. 

I encourage you to take time to reflect on 9/11, to read the stories, look through photographs and watch interviews with survivors. 

Ask yourself if there is any way you can serve our community. I believe service might be one of the best ways to honor the lives lost. May we never forget 9/11. 

We would love to hear from you. What do you remember about that day and what comes to your mind this year? Email us at news@dailyleader.com