Honoring the Memory of 9/11 By Honoring the Memory of 9/12
Arianna Huffington

Whenever I'm asked about my reaction to what happened on 9/11, as happened quite a bit over the weeks leading up to the anniversary of the attacks, my mind flashes back to the moment when I first heard that the unthinkable had happened. I was at home in Los Angeles, getting my two daughters, then 10 and 12, ready for school, and thinking about a column I was planning to write that day. In an instant that all changed, of course.

But as the years have gone by, my memories of that time have come to focus less on the bewilderment, the fear, the horror and the outrage that dominated that dark day, and far more on what happened the day after the attacks. So as we commemorate 9/11, we should also honor the anniversary of 9/12 -- the day when the shock began to wear off, the full dimensions of the tragedy began to become clear and the country began to decide what its reaction was going to be.

We resolved not to remain sitting stunned in front of our TV screens, but to get out and do something for our nation. On that day, such a throng of people showed up to help at Ground Zero that many had to be turned away, and tens of millions of dollars poured in to charities. People were driven to connect -- to the country, to their communities, to their friends and families.

Faced with a world that at times felt like it was collapsing around them, people suddenly found themselves filled with a very different perspective, no longer worried about whether their jeans made them look fat or obsessed with the latest meaningless celebrity scandal. Instead of numbing ourselves with escapism we connected -- with ourselves and with each other.

Even our political leaders set aside partisan squabbles and, at least for a while, put the national interest first. It was truly our country at its finest: reexamining our lives and resetting our priorities; volunteering and sacrificing, refusing to let our lives be dictated by hatred and fear.

It was the best of times amidst the worst of times. Unfortunately, it didn't last very long.

Yes, the horror of 9/11 was supposed to change everything forever. But, sooner than we'd like to admit, for most of us, life returned to its pre-9/11 ways. Although the memory of that day will obviously never fade, our memory of our immediate reactions to that day have.

Now, just ten years down the road, our political atmosphere is more toxic than ever. The media are back to giving wall-to-wall coverage to salacious lowest-common-denominator stories like Casey Anthony, Balloon Boy and a Quran-burning preacher in Florida. And, as a nation, we have gone back to sweating all the little things.

Thankfully, however, not everyone has lost the spirit of 9/12. Indeed, all across the country there are countless examples of people and organizations dedicating themselves to helping those in need.

Many of them were directly motivated and mobilized by what happened on 9/11: people touched by tragedy who directed their pain into efforts to make the world a better place. In the days after 9/11, Americans decided they wanted to be a bigger, better nation. And there are plenty of people who put that spirit into action. People like:

Jay Winuk and David Paine, who founded MyGoodDeed after Jay lost his brother in the attacks. The group helps connect people with charitable causes and service organizations, and also led the successful effort to get 9/11 recognized as a National Day of Service and Remembrance.

Ali Millard, whose stepfather, Port Authority Executive Director Neil Levin, died in the World Trade Center. In 2004, as a 16-year-old, she founded Art for Heart, which gives children who lose a parent the chance to express their grief through drawing and painting.

Of course, carrying out the spirit of 9/12 doesn't require having lost someone in the 9/11 attacks. Indeed, it doesn't require anything other than empathy -- and a desire to make a difference.

I saw this spirit embodied again and again as I toured the country last year talking about my book, "Third World America": People reaching out to improve the lives of their families, their neighbors and their communities.

Folks like Cheryl Jacobs, who, along with her work as a torts lawyer at a big firm, had been doing pro bono work with the highly successful Residential Mortgage Foreclosure Diversion Program in Philadelphia, which helps homeowners facing foreclosure through the legal process. After being laid off, Jacobs took on even more foreclosure cases, eventually opening her own practice dedicated to helping people keep their homes.

Then there's Margaret White, of New York City, who was disheartened by the dismal job prospects that greeted her in 2008. Unable to find work, she began volunteering at a women's nonprofit and was eventually hired to run the program.

By bringing microfinance to Appalachia, Amy Guerrieri has delivered hope to women in one of the poorest areas in America, and reminded us that we don't have to wait for Washington to ride to our rescue.

Following their lead and renewing the values and spirit that came to the fore in the wake of 9/11 would be the best way possible to honor the memory of those who lost their lives that day.