Never Look Back. Never Forget.

I celebrated 9/11 today.

But I didn't hang a wreath on a soldier's tomb. I didn't visit Ground Zero in New York City. I didn't salute the troops at the VA home, or take a moment of silence at halftime of a live football game.

Instead, I continued my life.

And I don't think that's a bad thing.

I've been away from home a lot on Sunday. Between calling duties (second one received last week!), family history, firesides, missionary work and other appointments, the Sabbath day is also one of my busiest days.

Today was no different. I left my house at 10:30 a.m., and returned at nearly 9 p.m. It was a day filled with amazing talks, fabulous music, Sept. 11 inspiration and remembrances, football (well, a little bit) and CES Firesides.

Those who died in the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, as well as those who have given their lives in defending freedom in the decade since wouldn't have it any other way. They died so that we could live. And not just go on with life — but truly live. They want us to experience the best of life, to be anxiously engaged in building the kingdom of God, to foster love and faith in our families, to show love and forgiveness to our neighbors, to give service to a stranger, to say 'I love you' to the honey as he crawls into bed after midnight, and to spend a day playing with your children.

If we don't live, but only live after 9/11, then we haven't lived up to our potential. I will never, ever forget, but I also don't want to live so much in the past that I become afraid to face the future. My life is not an ever-increasing number of pasts with a dwindling supply of futures, but a constant number of presents. That's where I want to live my life.

We must never forget where we were on that fateful day, Sept. 11, 2001. Ten years later, and the United States of America has not forgotten. But we have moved forward. Like the constant streams of light that sit where two towers in NYC once did, we will continue to shoot onward and upward, stretching into infinity until the day when every tear shall be wiped away, every knee bowed, and every tongue confessing that Jesus is the Christ. Until that day.

"I would hope that we can never forget the principles of freedom that we enjoy here," a source on BYUtv said. Let us be grateful for all we've been given, and all we have. Remember those who were lost on that fateful day a decade ago.

But do it while keeping an eye on the future. It is what has made America great to this point. And it's what will keep making us a leader in the world.