As the infamous date comes and goes this year, millions of Americans will somberly recall the 25th anniversary of the 9/11 attack on the United States.  Despite that horrific day — resulting in the death of 2,996 victims and first responders — we have built many legacies to honor those fallen and to bring tribute to the emotional blow that Americans nationwide experienced.

Lest the deep hurt and pain of that day fade away over the generations, we must remain vigilant in remembering and continuing to bring honor to those who were and continue to be impacted.

In honor of the 25th anniversary, the 9/11 Day founders have gone an extra step this year and created a way to bring more goodness and caring to the 9/11 remembrance. They are asking each American to demonstrate an act of kindness on that day and in the days before and after, with the goal of generating one million good deeds.  There are no limitations to the individual acts but here are a few examples:

• Send a hand-written note to someone you appreciate
• Donate old towels to an animal shelter
• Register as an organ donor
• Invite a friend or co-worker to help at a food bank for a day
• Donate toiletries to a shelter
• Smile and make eye contact with a stranger
• If eligible, donate blood
• Give a small token or coffee card to a crossing guard
• Introduce yourself to a neighbor you have not met
• Donate used eyeglasses to an organization that passes them on
• Make someone laugh
• Put money in an expired parking meter so the car owner doesn’t get a ticket

For each of us, life has its everyday challenges and we never know what challenges a person is facing on any given day. Moreover, from time to time, we have our own personal tragedies. Etiquette is way more than not wearing white after Labor Day.

Etiquette is about serving up grace in a sometimes insufferable, hateful, sham-driven, unkind world. We can all do better. We can all be more like Dolly Parton. Kindness is free. It leaves the giver feeling better too.

Check it out here: https://www.911day.org/uniiteforgood/

Jacqui Love Thornell is a native Miamian and retired corporate executive. With “help shape a better world” as her mantra, Thornell writes to tackle the awkward situations readers face in a world where technology, social media, gender definitions, and cultural lifestyle differences drive behavior. New-age etiquette strives to rise above the fray of rudeness, haters, and negativity to attain human encounters that are civil and thoughtful.