September 11th.... thoughts, memories and wishes

[Ace of Spades]

...and this, by Alan Jackson

Where were you when the world stopped turning that September day
Out in the yard with your wife and children
Working on some stage in LA
Did you stand there in shock at the site of
That black smoke rising against that blue sky
Did you shout out in anger
In fear for your neighbor
Or did you just sit down and cry

Did you weep for the children
Who lost their dear loved ones
And pray for the ones who don't know
Did you rejoice for the people who walked from the rubble
And sob for the ones left below

Did you burst out in pride
For the red white and blue
The heroes who died just doing what they do
Did you look up to heaven for some kind of answer
And look at yourself to what really matters

I'm just a singer of simple songs
I'm not a real political man
I watch CNN but I'm not sure I can tell you
The difference in Iraq and Iran
But I know Jesus and I talk to God
And I remember this from when I was young
Faith hope and love are some good things he gave us
And the greatest is love

Where were you when the world stopped turning that September day
Teaching a class full of innocent children
Driving down some cold interstate
Did you feel guilty cause you're a survivor
In a crowded room did you feel alone
Did you call up your mother and tell her you love her
Did you dust off that bible at home
Did you open your eyes and hope it never happened
Close your eyes and not go to sleep
Did you notice the sunset the first time in ages
Speak with some stranger on the street
Did you lay down at night and think of tomorrow
Go out and buy you a gun
Did you turn off that violent old movie you're watching
And turn on "I Love Lucy" reruns
Did you go to a church and hold hands with some stranger
Stand in line and give your own blood
Did you just stay home and cling tight to your family
Thank God you had somebody to love

I'm just a singer of simple songs
I'm not a real political man
I watch CNN but I'm not sure I can tell you
The difference in Iraq and Iran
But I know Jesus and I talk to God
And I remember this from when I was young
Faith hope and love are some good things he gave us
And the greatest is love

I'm just a singer of simple songs
I'm not a real political man
I watch CNN but I'm not sure I can tell you
The difference in Iraq and Iran
But I know Jesus and I talk to God
And I remember this from when I was young
Faith hope and love are some good things he gave us
And the greatest is love

The greatest is love
The greatest is love

Where were you when the world stopped turning that September day

[Timber Loftis]

Originally posted by Ziroc: [qb] I think about it once a day or more.. mainly because we have local NY channels, and they show the skyline on Channel 4, NBC, and I close my eyes, and think how empty Manhattan is without our Two Towers. I will never forget.

Yes. One cannot look at NY from afar and not notice. It doesn't even look like the same city anymore -- it's not as identifiable. The towers probably did more to be the single defining piece of a skyline than any building anywhere else.

[harleyquinn]

Well Ace, thanks for making me cry again [img]tongue.gif[/img]

I've only heard Alan Jackson sing that song once, and that was enough for me, I started bawling as soon as he sang the first line. I love his music, but haven't gotten that CD only because I know I can't listen to that song without breaking down and crying again. Maybe someday, but not now.

Gotta stop crying and try to get back to work. Someone hand Stormy a tissue, will you? I think she needs it.

Nice to know I'm not the only one out there still so emotional about this.

[SpiritWarrior]

Being from Europe and in America right now, I will say I have noticed there is a definite somber feeling coming from the USA this day, like a blanket has swept over the land and the people are all holding their breath. I myself have not attended or seen any memorial services yet today but still this feeling, this impression persists...weird.

P.S. Is it me or does that 9/11 pic atop the forums look more like an alien invasion with the Pentagon being the flagship..?

[ 09-11-2003, 04:22 PM: Message edited by: SpiritWarrior ]

[Ace of Spades]

Originally posted by harleyquinn: Well Ace, thanks for making me cry again [img]tongue.gif[/img] I've only heard Alan Jackson sing that song once, and that was enough for me, I started bawling as soon as he sang the first line. I love his music, but haven't gotten that CD only because I know I can't listen to that song without breaking down and crying again. Maybe someday, but not now. Gotta stop crying and try to get back to work. Someone hand Stormy a tissue, will you? I think she needs it. Nice to know I'm not the only one out there still so emotional about this.

Just sharing a little love...

[quietman1920]

I was at the tail end of a Disney vacation...the ship had docked at Castaway Cay and I was walking with my wife & son dow the hall to dissembark when we passed a bar where footage of the buildgs burning was showing. I remember thinking "Why are they trotting out all this old footage from '92?"

Then the second plane hit.

I remember turning my family around to get back to the cabin and spending the next few hours frantically trying to get a call through to my office. then the captain said that the US wasn't allowing ships to dock yet...so we left the ship and went to the beach. Up and down the beach were sad and angry people of every nationality. People were on the most beautiful island in the world...Disney's private island...and they were all crying.

The Staff & Crew were as nice as they could be to us that day...and then the captain came on the intercom again & said the US would allow the ship in to port. He charted a course through a baby hurricane (hurricane 'Erin') to get us to Florida...and I'll Never forget that customs search. But once we were offloaded...where to go? All our flights were cancelled...and all the rental cars were gone, and every hotel was booked for months in advance. I could rough it, but you can't rough it with a wife and a 4 year old boy. And then the people who I didn't expect...the people who I will never be able to thank enough...stepped up to bat for me and my family: Disney.

Disney put us up in rooms at their park until we could be booked on flights back north. Everyday we got a status update and a full park pass for each of us. While it was surreal and scary, it was literally The nicest thing anyone could have done for us. I'll never ever give a bad word about Disney, nor stand for their abuse because of this kind and unselfish act.

You probably remember that it was 4 days before flights were going again and by day 3, we and many other people in the parks were starting to have the same problems. There was a lot more window shopping than buying, lets say, and it was worse for the tourists from overseas. People had budgeted to spend 'X' on that vaction, and 'X' was gone. There were a lot of scared 'what are we going to do's whispered at the fireworks that third night. On day 4, just after dinner, one lone DC-10 flew over the park. The entire park stopped, stared at it, and then broke into wild applause and cheering. The next day, Disney had us on a flight northbound...and then we were home.

[RitingFool]

Here's a poem I wrote on the one-year anniversary of the tragedy, in memory of the occasion:

UNITED WE STAND

We the people, just one year ago,
Were dealt not one, but four mighty blows.
A city in turmoil, a nation in fear,
Taking our security, and treasuring it dear.

But the ones who struck, the ones who sought terror,
Learned a little something, and learned their big error.
For we as a nation, didn’t take the easy road,
Instead, we began the American code.

United we came, on each city block,
Bonding together, and beginning to talk.
Give in to fear, we certainly wouldn’t do,
A love of our country is stuck to us, like glue.

United we fell, when four planes were lost,
Extremists struck a blow, and what a mighty cost.
But America is great, its strength knows no bounds.
As one we rose up, and made a mighty sound.

United we fight, until none are remaining,
And evil and injustice are removed from earth’s painting.
We will cry freedom, at the top of our lungs,
We will cry peace, until at last, it is done.

United we stand, and proud forevermore,
United we stand, whatever’s in store.
United we stand, until justice is done,
United we stand, the red, white & blue doesn’t run!

By Michael LeBlanc
September 11, 2002

[wellard]

Originally posted by Ziroc: Yeah, I too cannot believe those towers are gone.. BTW, for people that see images on TV of the twin Towers, the TV does NOT do them justice at ALL. They are 300 times larger in person, and take up 4 blocks each way!!

I never thought about this point till last night when Yorick explained that to me. The whole concept of what happened and the shear magnitude of the event will never be truly felt by a foreigner like me who has never been there. I did visit Manchester (Britain) just after the biggest IRA bomb ever had gone off and looking at row after row of skyscrapers with no or broken windows upset me then. How many times that would have to be magnified to match the WTC ground zero site is beyond me.

I really don't know what to say to those of you hurting out there apart from You have my thoughts and deepest best wishes.... words do truly fail in times like these [img]graemlins/verysad.gif[/img]

[Timber Loftis]

To get an idea of the magnitude, the courtyard between the two buildings was once called a concrete football field (US football, of course -- 100-120 yards). They were each taller than 3 football fields stacked end-to-end. I just leaned back and peeked out the window to get a refresher course on what a building that takes up one full city block looks like (Sears Tower). I mean, these things are quite large. Remember that the "other" building that fell as an afterthought due to collateral damage was 40 stories tall.

They were ugly up close, you know. Narrow windows that everyone complained about, the courtyard was often referred to as very impersonal and barren for NYC's street-level liveliness. When they went up, they could not fill them. Until the port authority got moved there, everyone was afraid they would fail completely. The rainy-day opening ceremony was severely low in attendance. I saw them from afar and felt they were magnificent. The other info I'm asserting comes from a PBS special I watched a few nights ago.

[Malavon's Rage]

Good thread Wellard [img]smile.gif[/img]

I remember it like yesterday almost. I live in PA, only an hour or two away from where one of the planes crashed. We were in our Health class at school and Dr. Kaminzski started calling her friends in D.C and someone who she knows from the pentagon. In most classes we just watched TV and saw what was happening. Fire trucks even locally were going off to New York to help out.