Patriot Day is Monday, but for most Americans the day will be remembered by its original name — the name that stuck — Sept. 11. It was a day of infamy that, in a nutshell, led to a surge of unity, a call for vengeance, an unfruitful search for the mastermind and WMDs, an unpopular war, the overthrow of a dictator, and a continued question mark about the future safety of the United States from the threat of terrorism,

But Patriot Day? If anyone remembers correctly, Sept. 11, 2001 was a day of utter shell shock and disbelief across America. The United States was on the brink. Air traffic ceased completely. For the first time in decades, Americans — from North Kitsap to New York — did not feel safe on their own soil.

What it wasn’t was a day of national pride.

That came to light Sept. 12, 2001 and, for most, has been fading ever since in one form or another. But that is another subject altogether. For Americans Sept. 12 was as almost as inspiring as Sept. 11 was gut wrenching.

Just seeing the flag in the days that followed the deaths of thousands of innocents in Virginia, Pennsylvania and New York was enough to bring on feelings of being united from one ocean to another. Shops selling Old Glory in any form, quickly ran out of stock here in North Kitsap. And people throughout the area, though subdued by the tragedy, were as red, white and blue as they’d ever been.

And maybe ever will be.

It’s a shame that such pride — for so many — was so short- lived.

In the wake of utter catastrophe, it was a thing of rare beauty. The United States of America was truly united and the feeling that swept across this nation was, for lack of a better word, inspiring.

Hopefully, that fire of inspiration has not been doused completely and that at the very least, Americans take time Monday to not only remember those who died so tragically five years ago that day, but the feelings it stirred in us all, individually and collectively.