‘Count your blessings’ -- a poem for 9/11

By Debbie Cohen
Special to ASSIST News Service
NEW YORK CITY, NY (ANS) -- I wrote “Count Your Blessings” in 2005 right before the 4th Anniversary of the Twin Towers attack in honor of all the first responders who helped rescue many of the victims in the burning buildings, search for lost loved ones among the rubble and gave their all not thinking of their own lives so they could save others.

Twin Towers

I wrote it in my home as I was reflecting and praying about all the people who lost their lives on 9/11 and how their families were going to cope with their loss.
When the first plane hit I was home with my husband and two dogs when a friend called us and told us to turn on the news and watch the horrific details. It was very shocking and surreal that the towers crumbled as they did.
I still recall plumes of smoke reaching Queens – New York - where I lived. The smell of smoke and the soot seemed to reach all of the boroughs of New York City.
It was truly a frightening experience, but I knew this would bring many closer to the Lord, which it did. To think of all the loss and grief everyone was suffering has been inconceivable. Yet, through all this I knew the Lord was in control even in the midst of evil. And now a decade has past and all I can say is “let us never forget” and we should always pray for the Lord’s protection.
Count Your Blessings
By Debbie Cohen
Never forget the Twin Towers fall
Always remember several heroes gave their all
Huddled together in disarray
All the world’s Pastors continually prayed.
They prayed that we can start anew
Rebuild, recount and remember too
Never take for granted living day by day
Count Your Blessings and help others along the way.
A disaster can strike at anytime
Terrorists can blow things up at a drop of a dime
But we have freedom and love for our land
We will not fear or bury our heads in the sand.
Look around and cherish our democracy
Do not listen to the terrorist’s hypocrisy
We will never forget that sullen day
America stood and it will always be that way.

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Debbie Cohen is a Christian freelance journalist based in the the Queens area of New York City and can be contacted by e-mail at Cdebreporter@aol.com.

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