“Where were you when the world stopped turning?” The lyrics of Alan Jackson’s song still resonate today.

23 years ago, four hijacked planes crashed into the World Trade Center, the Pentagon and a field in Pennsylvania, and that day will be remembered forever.

I was on my way to work early this morning, as every American did 23 years ago. Little did I know that before the sun shone over New York City, in the blink of an eye, lives would be taken that would cast a shadow for days.

If you’re my age, you may not remember 9/11. Years passed and Americans started talking more about what they did that morning, and we became more aware that America was living through a nightmare.

On September 11, 2001, I was two years old. I was probably just learning how to put one foot in front of the other. I’m not a super-brain and I couldn’t tell you everything I remember from that day, but I do remember sitting in my grandfather’s apartment when the TV switched from Barney to the news.

Hours of coverage. The national calls to turn on the news were repeated because “we are under attack.” And we were.

I have heard and read that eyes were glued to television screens for days. Americans waited in fear for even one person to be found alive. It sounds like a nightmare, but it was reality.

You and I agree: the streets of New York were filled with hugs, support, and unbridled patriotism, and there was an enormous amount of help on the way.

As the years went by, it became clearer to all of us why my mother had quit her job, why flights were canceled, why fear reigned in the streets of America, and why it felt as if our neighbors from every state had gone to Ground Zero to search through the rubble.

When New York saw one of its most iconic symbols of power and freedom fall, so did we.

Now I will introduce myself. Greetings, my name is Alec.

I sometimes tell people, if you can’t find me in Michigan, meet me in NYC. There’s something about the hustle and bustle that I just love. Not to mention some of the city’s most famous areas like Rockefeller Center, Battery Park, the Statue of Liberty, and the list goes on. People can be moody sometimes, but who wouldn’t be in a city full of honking horns and people pushing through tourists in Times Square.

But if you stop and look at the bigger picture, here’s what we learned that day: In difficult times, New Yorkers know how to support one another.

Over the years, I have found myself on the site where the Twin Towers once stood. I have stood in the same spot that looked like a war zone that September morning. On 9/11, it was a place filled with smoke, fire, sirens and screams as New Yorkers witnessed firsthand two buildings collapse and Americans across the country watched in horror.

When visiting the Big Apple, you should definitely spend a day at the 9/11 Memorial. Aside from Starbucks, you could say it’s the quietest part of the city.

Two reflecting waterfall pools surrounded by bronze plaques with the names of all 2,977 victims.

The only tree that was still standing when the towers collapsed. Yes, it is the survivor tree. And yes, it is part of history because it was one of the few trees that was still standing.

And nearby is the museum, a place where you can view a collection of artifacts, eyewitness accounts and historical records related to the attacks.

And then there is the centerpiece, a 547-meter-high skyscraper called One World Trade Center. A building known for its floor-to-ceiling, 360-degree views of Manhattan, Long Island, New Jersey, and New York Harbor. One World Trade Center is a tribute to the Twin Towers.

I was there and maybe your planning starts now.

We can agree that the events of September 11 changed America.

As time passes, great events seem to become a distant memory. But 23 years later, some may say, I remember it like it was yesterday. We will never forget it.

You and I agree that the moments of tragedy and heroism that tested them have made New York and America stronger.

Believe it or not, 23 years later, the nation is still healing, and today we look at everything with a new perspective.

I watch documentaries from back then and read about what people did and it’s scary. We all have a story to tell and while my story about watching Barney isn’t nearly as good as the others, it’s a good one and so is yours.

So where were you when the world stopped turning? This story is worth telling.