The only constant in life is change. Every generation has a pardigm shifting event that forever changed lives and perception. For my grandparents, it was the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. For my parents it was the MLK and JFK assassinations, and for my generation it was the 9-11 tragedy. These events didn’t define the generation. It’s how people responded to the event that defined the generation.

I don’t remember the day before 9-11 vividly because it was a day like so many before it. Sep 11, 2001 was a shock and every day for months after 9-11 was a slow-motion blur. But after 9-11, Americans transformed the shock into healing, just like they did after Pearl Harbor and the political assassinations. The primary spirit fueling the healing was unity. What I remember most [looking back] and will always remember is how Americans responded and recovered together. Neither race, religion, wealth or gender mattered. We were unified Americans helping Americans move forward.

Some readers may feel like unity is a commodity mired by current events because a sector of Americans may have temporarily forgotten what it feels like to band together and heal a nation.

Although it may not be as obvious, unity permeates everyday American life often in the smallest of gestures.

• –the door held open for another shopper
• –the seat relinquished for another traveler
• –the errant trash collected from the curb and disposed of
• –the anonymous meal purchased for the uniformed service member
• –the secret Santa who paid off all lay-away toys

You don’t have to look back to past generations to see it. As long as humans occupy land, water or space the one constant will be change and it’s how we respond to the change that defines our generation and our future.

History is truth. Americans persevere, today, yesterday and throughout history.