Posted by
Kim on Thursday, September 07, 2006 10:49:43 PM
"Where were you when the world stopped turnin'?" is a question posed in a country song referencing September 11, 2001.
It's 5 years later and I wonder really if people remember that feeling, that unexplainable knot in the pit of your stomach coupled with the tears that you barely manage to hold back and topped only by a supernatural knowledge that from that moment forward life as we know would change drastically.
I remember that feeling and the surreal images of the towers falling. THE WORLD TRADE CENTER TOWERS FELL DOWN. It's still surreal. It seemed like just yesterday, but it was during a trip to NYC nearly 10 years prior to 9/11 that I stood in the plaza below those very buildings looking up and snapping pictures of the tops of both towers looming so many feet above me, and walked through the doors to a place like no other. You could feel the whole world represented through the thousands of people in those buildings, it hummed.
I'm hesitant to mention, but one of my favorite memories of my trip occurred in one of the towers as I was leaving. It was humerous to myself and my friend, being young and in college and loose in the big city. A man got caught briefly in a revolving door and smacked full force into it as he continued to move forward but the doors didn't - one of those 'you had to be there moments'. I don't think I've actually laughed about that moment since 9/11 and honestly, it's still funny to me, but the humor seems extremely irreverent to me now.
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
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
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
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
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
The greatest is love
The greatest is love
Where were you when the world stopped turning that September day