Where Were You When the World Stopped Turning . . ..

that cold September day?

- Alan Jackson

I was running off copies while my third grade students were in computer lab.  I remember the preacher coming in and saying that the World Trade Center Towers had been hit.  I went back to my room and turned on the radio hearing all that was going on not realizing our world would never be the same again.

The kids could tell I was upset and we listened to the radio as we tried to go on with our work for the day.  Maggie remembers sitting in the reading center just crying although she admits she had no clue what was really going on in the world.  We heard about the plane hitting the Pentagon and the plane in Pittsburg and it was then we all realized that this was no accident.  I tried to play it off but I remember their faces looking at me telling me they knew this was serious.  Then, one of my boys heard the first tower fall moments later as our classroom was so quiet (very unlike us) we heard the second tower fall.  We did not know what to do.  So . . . .

we prayed.  

We talked.

We made cards for all of our Congressmen.

We made cards for President Bush and First Lady Laura.

We did all we could.

Our school made a HUGE American flag with our fingerprints and handprints

and we sent it to Senator Bill Frist.

He was so touched he sent us a flag that had flown over the Capital Building.

The news came out that day when his assistants came to school

to give it to us.

We did all we could to show our country that we love it 

and were going to stand by it.

We used every moment we had to make red, white and blue pins.

Some even made things at home.

We sold them before school to people and gave all the money to those who had lost

so much.

I will always remember that day and the precious ones that surrounded me during those days and weeks that followed.  I will always remember that even little ones can make a big difference and that pennies do add up to a lot. I will always remember going to the first Titans game after that Tuesday and seeing everyone come together to honor those who had lost their lives voluntarily and involuntarily.  I will remember the feeling that even though we are broken and numb life does go on and good can come from what evil has happened.  I will always remember those who lost so much and I promise that I will never ever forget.

God Bless America.