September 11th 2001, a day that many Americans remember as โThe Day the World Stopped Turningโ. A day that many of us can tell you exactly where we were and what we were doing. That day, when the planes crashed into the twin towers, I was at home. My father called me from work and said, turn on the tv. I couldnโt believe what my eyes were seeing. At first it was such a unbelievable moment, my eyes sending images to my brain that seemed surreal and unimaginable. I remember later that day, staring up into the heavens and for the first time seeing a sky without a single jet trail going across it. It is a day shared as a commonality for all those who were old enough to understand. A day that stopped our world in its tracks.
Now, having children of my own, I found myself wanting to put some pieces together to help them understand not only what happened that day, but how it changed the world. Now more than ever before I think, we need that united stance together, to remember that we are all stronger when we stand together.
Written by Stacey Randell
‘MEET ME IN THE STAIRWELL’
You say you will never forget where you were when you heard the news On September 11, 2001 .. Neither will I. I was on the 110th floor in a smoke filled room with a man who called his wife to say ‘Good-Bye.โ I held his fingers steady as he dialed. I gave him the peace to say, ‘Honey, I am not going to make it, but it is OK..I am ready to go.’
I was with his wife when he called as she fed breakfast to their children. I held her up as she tried to understand his words and as she realized he wasn’t coming home that night.
I was in the stairwell of the 23rd floor when a woman cried out to Me for help. ‘I have been knocking on the door of your heart for 50 years!’ I said. ‘Of course I will show you the way home -only believe in Me now.’
I was at the base of the building with the Priest ministering to the injured and devastated souls. I took him home to tend to his Flock in Heaven. He heard my voice and answered.
I was on all four of those planes, in every seat, with every prayer.
I was with the crew as they were overtaken.
I was in the very hearts of the believers there, comforting and assuring them that their faith has saved them.
I was in Texas , Virginia , California , Michigan , Afghanistan
I was standing next to you when you heard the terrible news.
Did you sense Me?
I want you to know that I saw every face.
I knew every name – though not all know Me.
Some met Me for the first time on the 86th floor.
Some sought Me with their last breath.
Some couldn’t hear Me calling to them through the smoke and flames; ‘Come to Me.. this wayโฆ take my hand.’
Some chose, for the final time, to ignore Me.
But, I was there.
I did not place You in the Tower that day.
You may not know why, but I do.
However, if you were there in that explosive moment in time, would you have reached for Me? Sept. 11, 2001, was not the end of the journey for you.
But someday your journey will end. And I will be there for you as well. Seek Me now while I may be found. Then, at any moment, you know you are ‘ready to go.’
I will be in the stairwell of your final moments.
God
9-11 Memorial and Museum Virtual Experience https://www.911memorial.org/interactive-museum-experience
Cynceโs Place Notebooking Pages for 9-11 http://www.cyncesplace.com/september-11-notebooking-pages/
U.S. Department of Education 9-11 Resources for Teachers https://www.ed.gov/911anniversary
Pentagon Memorial Remembering 9-11 A brief outline and timeline of the events of 9-11. https://pentagonmemorial.org/sites/default/files/educational-resources/911pdf.pdf
PBS America Responds Classroom Resources http://www.pbs.org/americaresponds/educators.html
For Futher Resources check out Teach Mid East https://teachmideast.org/lesson_plans/teaching-about-911/
I hope these resources help you as we approach the anniversary of 9-11.
The 2 middle photos in this post came from an email that was forwarded to me several years ago, so I do not know who to give credit it to for them. The cover image, as well as the final image were found at https://hipwallpaper.com/view/47uda2
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