Twenty-four years ago today, our nation was attacked from the outside. The images of that morning remain etched in all of our minds—the Twin Towers crumbling to the ground, the Pentagon in flames, and a quiet field in Shanksville turned into hallowed ground by the bravery of ordinary people who sacrificed everything to save countless others. I remember that day vividly. I was heading to the Pentagon for work, unaware that history, and my life, was about to change forever. The hours that followed were dark beyond measure. We lost friends, colleagues, and loved ones. We were shaken to our core, unsure of what tomorrow would bring. And yet, in the aftermath, something extraordinary emerged. Out of unimaginable loss came an unshakable unity. For weeks and months, never was our country more bound together—neighbors helping neighbors, strangers offering comfort, and an entire nation reminding itself that even in grief, we could find strength. Today, as I write these words from a plane flying back to America, I can’t help but reflect on how different things feel. Then, we were attacked from without. Now, I fear we are tearing ourselves apart from within. The divisions that scar our political and social fabric grow deeper every day. Instead of uniting in our differences, we are attacking one another across them. On this sacred day, I pray we take a collective deep breath. That we pause. That we remember the cost of division and the power of unity. Civility costs us nothing, but the path of anger, hate, and division could cost us everything. The memory of September 11th is not only about loss. It is also about what we are capable of when we stand together—resilient, compassionate, and united as one nation. Let us honor those we lost not only with moments of silence, but with how we live, how we treat one another, and how we choose to heal our country from within. Never forget ❤️