"Wordless Wednesday...(#5)..."

Images: Azcentral.com

"A Picture is Worth..."

...A Thousand Words...
And what a glorious day is was for pictures!

These were my favorite photos of this historic day.

I couldn't drag myself from the television...kleenex at my side.

(PHOTO SOURCES: Associated Press, Reuters)

"Let it be said by our children's children

that when we were tested we refused to let this journey end,

that we did not turn back nor did we falter;

and with eyes fixed on the horizon and God's grace upon us,

we carried forth that great gift of freedom

and

delivered it safely to future generations."

~President Barack Obama

Source: Inaugural Address...January 20, 2009

"Reflections..."

I,

like so many others,

remember exactly everything

about that fateful September morning in 2001

when

all of our "knowns" became "unknowns".

September 11th, 2001

started as routinely as any regular school day.

My lesson plan for social studies that day was to

introduce the concepts of

"Fact...Opinion...and Rumor..."

as part of understanding current events.

That is the absolute, unbelieveable, undeniable TRUTH!!!

I still get chills every time I think about it.

Needless to say,

during those seconds, and minutes, and hours

of that teaching day

and

throughout the infinite lessons and journal entries

and broken hearts, and tears, and the thousands of questions

of those days that followed ...

it

undeniably was one of the most powerfully moving and

spiritually inspiring

moments of my entire teaching career.

I remember that day as if it were yesterday...

it is crystal clear in my heart.

My personal memories of it are wrenching and raw

yet paradoxically serene and filled with hope.

Seeing the world through the eyes of a child is very special.

I was a privilege that day to be a teacher.

I dedicate this post to the memory of those souls lost that day...

and

to the junior high students who were in my classes then...

and

to Matt, my team teaching partner,

who "held my hand" throughout it all.

I wish you peace...

Remember...Every day REALLY does matter.