September 11 was a day that no American will EVER forget.
NOR SHOULD THEY.

Shock...

Denial...

Horror...

Anger...

Incredible sadness...

A deep sense of loss--of innocence, freedom, peace.

All of us felt one or more of these emotions. Some of us are are still feeling them, or ignoring them all together. Some of us are still reeling from the devastating events, seven months later.

Seven months ago, on a sunny Tuesday morning in September, our sense of security was shattered by terrorists using airplanes as flying bombs. Life as we knew it was instantly & forever changed.

Seven months ago, twin Towers stood tall, guarding the New York Skyline, as they had for over 25 years. Little did we know that by the end of the day, New York's skyline would never be the same & our beloved World Trade Center--one hundred ten stories tall--would be a pile of rubble, the final resting place of thousands of innocent lives.

Seven months ago, the Pentagon was inpenetrable. Home of our Nation's military defense. How would we know that one of the airplanes would collapse the notion that "it will NEVER happen here" & that our military would come under attack--in its own country?

Seven months ago, ordinary men, women & children were going to work or vacation. Men & women at the office. Families on planes. Little did they know that their lives would be forever altered or snuffed out by the hatred of evil. Evil done in the name of god. (Not MY God!!)

Seven months ago, our heroes were overpaid athletes, movie stars, singers; now, they are police officers, firefighters, EMS & search & rescue personnel. (((GOD BLESS YOU ALL & THANKS)))

Seven months ago, the only time you saw people praying was if they wanted something really badly, or if you went to church. Now the Heavens are flooded with the cries of a hurting Nation that is turning back to God. And God is listening.

Since September 11, God has given me a blessing that I never expected. A gift for writing.

Before, I would keep my emotions inside...I very rarely let anyone know how I was feeling. I'd been hurt one too many times to let myself be exposed & vunerable again. (I used to do creative writing in junior high school, many years ago, but hadn't put "pen in hand" for a long, long time.)

However, September 11 changed all that for me.

When I got home from church that evening I turned on the news & watched the awful images repeating again & again. Words just started filling my mind. I wrote them down...& the first of many poems was born.

Mnay times during the next several months, I would suddenly feel compelled to write down what was going through my mind. I have been awakened on several occasions with an idea for a poem or the actual poem or article itself. My memory isn't the most reliable thing in the world, so I would have to write it down or else I'd forget it.

Since that September day, I've written over nearly 100 poems & over 25 articles. Most of the poems do deal with 9-11. My feelings (whether angry, horrified, sad or shocked), were put on paper instead of being left to fester like a boil in my mind.

For that, I thank God. I think my writings are my way of crying out to God, my way of praying to Him; in this, He's answered my prayer of learning how to cope. He's let me know that He's in control.

He's let me know that He loves us & will NEVER forsake us.

Thank You, God...will You continue to bless America? We need You more than ever before...

Amen.