Where Were You When The World Stop Turning?

Today is 9/11/09, it's been eight years since that fateful September morning in 2001. There's a song by Alan Jackson, 'Where Were You When The World Stopped Turning?' and I realize that world really did stop turning on 9/11, but the American people gathered an amazing strength and kept on living. I'll never forget that day, so now I'm gonna tell my story, why don't you tell me yours too?
I was in 4th Grade at Mary Raber Elementary in my tiny Indiana Town. Nothing bad ever happens here, it's safe. When we got to school at a quarter til 8, everything was still normal. We made our way through the previous nights homework, I think we reviewed some Indiana History. Then Mrs. Reith took us down to Art with Mr. Bailey. He had the TV on and we all were transfixed by it. There was fires in New York, something had struck the Trade Centers. I didn't even know what the Trade Centers were.
Mr. Bailey said we could have the TV on as long as we kept doing our work. There was no protest, I don't think any one of us could even remember how to speak. It was the most hauntingly silent I've ever heard a bunch of ten year olds. I sat at one of the lunch style tables and worked on my geometric shape project. It was green, purple, and blue and it looked uncannily like camo.
Then I heard a gasp and my head snapped up, the towers were falling. My hand covered my mouth and I watched it unfold before my eyes. This wasn't supposed to happen, this is America, we doing the ass kicking.
When we got back to our classroom, the Principal had ordered that all TV's be shut off for the remainder of the day. I'm not sure, but I think we're the only ones who saw it. While a lot of the other teachers tried to keep peace and go on with their daily lessons, I think Mrs. Reith did the best thing she ever could've done for us.
We talked about it.
We talked about it for Lord knows how long. We sat there and talked for most of the day and then she had us take out our Writer's Journals and we wrote about it; what we were feeling, what we thought was happening... We shared our thoughts and it was the most binding act for a class that had been rather divided.
I got home that afternoon and mom snapped the TV off and I informed her I already saw it.
9/11 made me become rather patriotic, walking in the Memorial Day Parade became something that I had to do. Getting to carry the American Flag the following year for the parade made my heart swell. I love America.
There's a song by Darryl Worley called 'Have You Forgotten?' and I don't think we have. We may try to push it to the back of our minds, but there is no way to forget what happened. But there's a line I love from that song: "People say this country's just out lookin' for a fight, well after 9/11 man, I'd have to say that's right."
Toby Keith's Angry American [Courtesy of the Red, White, & Blue]: "We'll put a boot in your ass, it's the American way"
GOD BLESS AMERICA.
To Marcus Mullins & Ron Betts, thanks for protecting our country.

Thoughts & Prayers to America.
-Julia