A Glimpse of What Once Was

This past weekend, I was fortunate enough to be able to attend this year’s New Mexico State University versus University of New Mexico Rio Grande rivalry football matchup. I am a student at NMSU Grants, so of course I cheered for the Aggies. Although they did lose, it was still a fun game and time with family and friends. My favorite part though, wasn’t the game, the snacks, or the loud cheering between Aggie and Lobo fans. My favorite part was the halftime show, when UNM and NMSU’s marching bands and dance teams joined together as one to honor first responders, the victims of September 11, 2001, each branch of the U.S. military, and America.

Instead of chanting ‘Lobos’ or ‘Aggies’, fans started chanting ‘USA’. That, along with the moment of silence with a trumpet playing on the field and the moment when the whole crowd sang “God Bless America” brought tears to my eyes and chills to my spine. I was not old enough to remember the aftermath of 9/11, but I often hear of what post-9/11 America was like and how Americans truly banned together during that time.

Each year, I also hear people talk about how they wish we could return to that America. I’d like to believe that we can, and I’d like to believe that I saw glimpses of that America on September 11, 2021. I saw glimpses of it at a college rivalry football game, and glimpses of it in Cibola County with various departments and municipalities coming together to remember. Division has seemed to be a theme in America the past few years, but it is glimpses like these that give me hope for more. A hope for the American spirit and unity that once was. I think unity is a personal choice each of us must make. Wake up and choose unity over division. Wake up and choose peace over controversy. It’s okay to have differences, that is what makes America unique, but we can’t let those differences separate us. We need to embrace our differences and find common ground in that we are all Americans. We need to care about each other.

One last thing I must add is my deep and utter appreciation for first responders. It is times like these that truly make me consider all that these men and women do. The sacrifice they give and the courage they carry. They deserve to be appreciated, on 9/11 and every other day.

Thank a first responder the next time you see one and God bless, Cibola!