One
By Cheryl Sawyer

As the soot and dirt and ash rained down, 
We became one color.

As we carried each other down the stairs of the burning building. 
We became one class.

As we lit candles of waiting and hope, 
We became one generation.

As the firefighters and police officers fought their way into the inferno.
We became one gender.

As we fell to our knees in prayer for strength. 
We became one faith.

As we whispered or shouted words of encouragement. 
We spoke one language.

As we gave our blood in lines a mile long. 
We became one body.

As we mourned together the great loss. 
We became one family.

As we cried tears of grief and loss. 
We became one soul.

As we re-tell with pride of the sacrifice of heroes. 
We become one people.

We are:  One color
               One class
               One generation
               One gender
               One faith
               One language
               One body
               One family
               One soul
               One people
 
We are The Power of One.
We are United.
We are America.

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."

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.
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, Kansas, London. 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 way... 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?

September 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

 (author unknown)

For calm in chaos, for poise in pandemonium;

To the heroes who 'kept on keeping on';

For countless acts of courage by those who never thought of themselves as heros;

Those who encouraged, those who lifted and those who led;

The ones that used last precious moments to speak with loved ones by phones, to express their love and say their goodbyes;

Those who plotted an overthrow that a plane might miss it's mark, giving their own lives as sacrifice;

The ones that worked tirelessly hours on end in the aftermath, knowing the danger;

Those that live with the sights, the sounds that replay in the night;

We, the world over, salute you, we offer up prayers of thanks for you. We honor our Country and our Flag with thoughts of you ever in our minds.

Because of you, we have new determination of will, count each new day as a blessing, and count ourselves as truly blessed to live in this land.

We haven't known you, but we love you. We haven't walked your path, but you are embedded in our hearts forever.