The anniversary of 9/11 always brings back the emotions that swept over me that day. Eighteen years! And I can still remember those feelings.

Whenever an act of evil such as this takes place, it is in our human nature to try to categorize it. What form does evil assume? What does it look like?

Some deny its existence. Others try to identify it by external appearance or influences. Some look for commonality of race, creed, education level or economic background.

The events we remember today demonstrate that evil takes many forms. We can’t always recognize it until it happens. Friends and acquaintances of those who commit horrendous acts frequently use words like “shocked,” “unexpected,” and “surreal.” There was “nothing that stood out” about them. If you look at their pictures, you see no indication of the atrocity they would commit.

We can’t always identify evil because it is not…