This morning I was thinking about exactly where I was 7 years ago (7 years!) today. I was standing in my bathroom holding a curling iron in my hair, preparing for another day of 9th grade at Franklin Jr. High. I went out to check the Today Show (I depended on it even then) and saw that a World Trade Center tower had been hit by an airplane. What a dumb pilot, I thought. Or maybe he was drunk. How could he not see the buildings? When the second plane hit, it was painfully obvious that I was ridiculously naive, and it wasn't an accident at all. A vulnerable United States was something my generation had never considered, let alone actually seen before our own eyes.
When I was looking for pictures for this post, the phrase "Never Forget" came up in captions for many of the pictures. I remember that phrase being a rallying cry in the days after September 11. Its bittersweet, really, to remember how united the country was at that time, how we really thought we'd "never forget". We thought we'd "never forget" Pearl Harbor too, but most years December 7th passes without notice or remembrance. Whether its because of a heated election, a disputed war, or the simple passing of time, I don't think we've really lived up to our rally cry. I have no intention of getting political about the war, because one person's mess is another person's success. I just thought for a second we could "Never Forget". This song is a little corny (it is a country song, after all), but I really like the words anyway.
"Where Were You When the World Stopped Turning?" 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
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
CHORUS:
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
And the greatest is love
The greatest is love
Where were you when the world stopped turning that September day?
Where were you when the world stopped turning that September day
3 comments:
Its so crazy. I found out just the same way as you. I was getting ready for school with the Today show on in the background. When they announced the first plane hit and went and told my mom how weird that was. And then I watched as the news filmed the second place hitting. I was shocked. School that day was crazy and there were all kinds of rumors going on about it and the tv was on in all of our classrooms. It is crazy to think about.
Isn't it crazy how we can remember what we were doing 7 years ago when something major happened, but we can't remember two weeks ago? I can't believe that it was 7 years ago TODAY! I wasn't watching t.v., but I was listening to the radio and then when I heard what happened we hurried and turned on the news. I remember the only teacher that would let us watch the news was my seminary teacher. What a sad day that was. I remember being so greatful that I lived in a small town where, hopefully, I never had to worry about that.
Great post. So crazy. I remember watching the news all day long- at school. All of my teachers no longer cared about lecturing, we all just got in big masses and watched.
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