Although it has been nearly a year since the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, we should not and cannot forget what happened.

More than 3,000 people died that day. These people were not at war, or even thinking about war. They were everyday people at work, on coffee breaks and talking on their cell phones. They died for reasons they didn’t know and we’re only beginning to understand.

And before that day, it was as if we didn’t know there was something more we should understand. We had confidence in our nation’s security and felt comfortable with our place in the world.

Sept. 11 has made us rethink our ideals and how we fit into the world.

There is hate and propaganda that perpetuates throughout our world and we have to do all we can to curb it.

We need to understand how different people and places can be, and how the liberties we take for granted are foreign to others around the world.

We need to learn how to understand prejudice. It exists and, although we cannot control it everywhere, we can control it within ourselves. It is not a black and white issue. We need to find a better understanding among the world’s different races and religions.

We cannot forget the lessons Sept. 11 has taught us. We need to mourn the lives lost and celebrate the knowledge we’ve gained.

During the next few weeks, different parts of the community will host events to commemorate the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon. Participate with your community as it remembers Sept. 11. We cannot forget the lessons of that day.