"I Was There"

I am not religious. I don't go to church. I don't say my prayers every night. I have my doubts, my uncertainties about what lies beyond or before life. I question the world to find my beliefs. But nearly ten years ago, on Christmas Eve night as I was trying to sleep, I heard a narration of this poem on the radio. I remember crying, not being able to move, but once it was over, I went downstairs to where my mom, dad, and Eric were, and I told them what I heard. In my (at that point) 11 years, I had never felt something connect me to an undeniable inner warmth and peace.

Some time later, I received the text of the poem in an email. From a friend, my mother, my grandmother, I don't know. For many years I have thought of this poem on the anniversary of the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. And for more than eight years, I have not had the text. Today, while watching nearly 2,000 motorcycles drive down the street in front of my grandma's house in a memorial ride, flags flying, one line popped into my head. And that one line was all I needed to find this remarkable poem.

Whether you find your faith in western Christianities, Hinduism, Judaism, Taoism, Islam, the Goddess, magic, music, or nature, I hope this poem speaks to you as it first did for me. There are some days I question the existence of a "God" as those around me believe him to be, but there is never a day I don't believe there is something divine beyond the stars, a higher power of some kind, energy personified.

I remember where I was. And I always will.

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"I WAS THERE"

You say you will never forget where you were when you heard the news on Sept. 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 as she realized he wasn't coming home that night.

I was in the stairwell on the 23rd floor when a women 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, 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 knew Me.

Some met me for the first time on the 86th floor.

Some sought me out with their last breath.

Some couldn't hear me calling 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.

Remember...I love you.