Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource September 11 Digital Archive Stories Description An account of the resource This collection is the bulk of the archive, representing the reactions and experiences of thousands of individuals beginning in 2002. 911DA Story 911DA Story: Story Tell us about what you did, saw, or heard on September 11th. Feel free to write as much or as little as you like. Tell us your story: Did anyone else see the future in the Illinois clouds? September 11, 2001 lurked a few days in the future that afternoon as I bicycled through Herrick Lake Forest Preserve, praying for career guidance. I implored the heavens for a sign (though Id never seen one before), and then noticed two distinctly-shaped purple clouds frozen unchanging (unlike most clouds), side-by-side in the western sky. But this couldnt be right! The first cloud, shaped like the silhouette of Miss Libertys leftwards-gazing head, with her Roman profile and chignon, looked so much like an old coin that I protested, reminding God of my disinterest in financial occupations. The second cloud profiled the front half of an Eagle, its talon outstretching fiercely to the right, an image Id seen in old emblems and advertising for the U.S. Military, Government and Postal Service. Again, I protested, certain my career could not be in those organizations, nor in Washington DC. Then I noticed the contrails of two airplanes slowly approaching my clouds from the upper right. One pierced Miss Libertys head and I sadly watched the resultant deformation. But when the cloud stopped changing, Miss Libertys head remained intact -- and now she had a body, and the contrail lingered to make the shape of a spear over her shoulder. Miss Liberty stood poised like Athena, ready to fling her spear. The other contrail struck the Eagle in its back, behind its head. This time the result was undramatic, as the Eagles shape prevailed and the contrails effects dissipated. As I rode my bike home, I marveled that the clouds changed no further. After September 11, I realized that I had seen a prophetic vision. The plane destroyed the clouds resemblance to a coin (New Yorks World Trade Center) and transformed its shape; from the wreckage, Miss Liberty (America) arose intact and braced for war. The Eagle (The Pentagon), like the U.S. Government and Military, remained steadfast and quickly healed when struck by the plane (a memory especially reassuring during the days of chaos and uncertainty immediately following the attacks). A year has now passed. Though I still wonder if an answer to my career prayer was embedded in this experience (perhaps guidance to work in Homeland Security), I remain awed and comforted by what I saw. God, the Ruler of the Universe, foretold of the September 11 attacks and Americas response. As Americans scurry about planning warfare, restoration, and memorials, the vision in the clouds reminds us to keep foremost in our hearts the words cast on all our U.S. coins: In God We Trust. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource story20602.xml 911DA Item Elements describing a September 11 Digital Archive item. Status The process status of this item. approved Consent Whether September 11 Digital Archive has permission to possess this item. full Posting Whether the contributor gave permission to post this item. yes Copyright Whether the contributor holds copyright to this item. yes Source The source of this item. born-digital Media Type The media type of this item. story Created by Author Whether the author created this item. yes Described by Author Whether the description of this item was submitted by the author. no Date Entered The date this item was entered into the archive. 2006-09-11 IP Address The IP address of the device used to submit the item. 69.209.68.59