The past several weeks have been challenging for this country. Wildfires blazing in the West, Hurricane Harvey ravaging the Gulf Coast, and now Hurricane Irma, Jose and Katia are looming ever closer to us in the South and possibly the East.

Through it all, Americans from coast to coast, north and south, have shown their better qualities by doing their work of combating the flames, rescuing flood victims and preparing for more of nature’s ferocity.

No matter where Americans are in this nation or abroad, we all come together on Monday for another occasion. Appropriately, we’ll observe Patriot Day, which marks the anniversary of the terrorist attacks on Tuesday, Sept. 11, 2001.

As we’ve noted in the past, that was another occasion where people showed their best qualities in reaction to the destruction and death caused by the fall of the Twin Towers in New York City, the plane crash into the Pentagon and the hijacked United Airlines Flight 93.

Out of much evil can come a greater good.

Let each of us take time on Monday to remember those who perished and those who worked to rebuild. On that day in particular, we’re united as Americans.