Where Were You When The World Stopped Turnin'...

Back on September 11, 2001 I was workin' for an ophthalmologist. Tuesday was his surgery day so it was just me and his assistant in the office.

I was at my desk doin' some billin' and she was next to me on the phone talkin' to her mama. As I looked out into the waitin' room, I saw an image on the television. As my brain was tryin' to comprehend what I was seein', I heard her say, "A plane crashed into the World Trade Center?!" Just as she spoke those words, I then saw the image of another plane crashin' into the other tower. At the exact moment, we both turned (as if in slow motion) and looked at each other. We were speechless but our expressions spoke louder than any words.

I immediately called my hubs. I needed to hear his voice. That was my only focus at that moment. I was so relieved when I spoke to him.

Then I remember runnin' outside and lookin' up into the beautiful blue sky. What was I lookin' for? Actually it was what I was hopin' NOT to see. That's because we were not far from Griffiss Air Force Base.

As I sat and watched all the news footage, I cried. I still do. The media never showed some of the graphic footage I have seen.

I still cry for the folks trapped inside those towers with no way out.

I still cry for the brave New York police and fire rescue workers who ran into the burnin' towers not knowin' what had happened but knew they had to help thousands inside.

I still cry for the folks who stood on the ledge of those towers and made the decision to jump to their death. The sounds of their bodies hittin' the ground below still haunts me to this day.

I still cry for the folks on those planes, knowin' it would be their last day here on earth.

I still cry because we were targeted because we are Americans. It didn't matter our color, ethnicity, race or religion. I still cry because it could have been any one of us.

The only time I get angry is when I hear folks make comments like, "I'm so tired of hearing about Sept. 11th!" or "Its time to get over September 11th!"

Two of these four horrific tragedies happened in MY state, to MY fellow New Yorkers and to MY fellow Americans. I could never forget and I never will.

ONE
By: Cheryl Sawyer

As the soot and dirt and ash rained down,
We became one color.
As we carried each other down the stairs of the burning building,
We became one class.
As we lit candles of waiting and hope
We became one generation.
As the firefighters and police officers fought their way into the inferno
We became one gender.
As we fell to our knees in prayer for strength,
We became one faith.
As we whispered or shouted words of encouragement,
We spoke one language.
As we gave our blood in lines a mile long,
We became one body.
As we mourned together the great loss
We became one family.
As we cried tears of grief and loss
We became one soul.
As we retell with pride of the sacrifice of heros
We become one people.

We are
One color
One class
One generation
One gender
One faith
One language
One body
One family
One soul
One people

We are The Power of One.
We are United.
We are America.