September 11, 2001 was the day the United States stood still and Americans looked at each other in utter shock. Ask anyone where they were the morning of 9/11, and the majority of Americans will get a look of sadness or anger. That morning I woke up on McCord Air Force Base in Washington state. My mom had married into the military less than two months previous. I spent the summer running around a miniature city with all the amenities you could imagine, playing at the park and swimming in the olympic-sized pool. Coming to western Washington with the almost claustrophobic trees and beauty...

It feels like half the world is at war, with the other half deciding which war (and which side) they should join. Billions of people are suffering, and it's becoming easier to look around and have trouble finding anything to be thankful for. We live in an increasingly hostile and ever changing world where the silver lining seems thin—or even nonexistent. I never imagined we would live in a country that continues to operate off hate and fear. I was raised with immense patriotism. I love the United States of America. So, how did our country reach a point where half of our citizens cheer on...