We awoke one morning in September, and the world lurched on its

In the haunting words of Jeb Bush, we hear the echo of an age-defining sorrow: “We awoke one morning in September, and the world lurched on its axis.” These words do not merely describe a day; they summon a memory carved into the soul of humankind—a day when time itself seemed to tremble, when the balance of the world was shaken, and the hearts of millions beat as one in grief and disbelief. This is the voice of remembrance, and of awakening, spoken from the depths of history to remind us that even in the midst of darkness, the spirit of humanity endures.

The origin of this quote lies in the shadow of September 11, 2001, when the morning sky above New York City burned with tragedy. On that day, as dawn broke over the land, men and women rose to face an ordinary morning—only to find themselves cast into an extraordinary horror. In a few short hours, towers that had touched the heavens crumbled to dust, and with them fell the illusion that the world was steady and secure. It was as though the earth itself had tilted, as though the compass of civilization had lost its direction. And yet, from the ashes of that day, the human spirit rose—scarred, but unbroken.

To say the world lurched on its axis is to recognize that there are moments when all that is familiar is upended, when the rhythm of life falters, and we find ourselves thrust into a new age. History is a tapestry woven with such turning points—moments when humanity stands at the edge of despair and must choose between fear and courage. September 11th was one such moment. It was a day that forced all who lived through it to look inward and ask what kind of people they would become in the face of unspeakable loss.

Consider the story of the first responders who rushed into the burning towers. While others fled, these men and women ascended toward danger, guided not by command but by duty and love. Firefighters, police officers, paramedics—ordinary souls who became immortal symbols of sacrifice. Many never returned, yet their final acts illuminated the path for generations to come. They showed us that even when the world trembles, courage can restore its balance. Their deeds remind us that though tragedy may shift the axis of the world, it cannot extinguish the light of human goodness.

In every era, there comes a morning like that one—a moment when nations awaken to pain, when the soul of the world feels its weight shift. But it is not the fall that defines us; it is the rising. The ancients taught that from chaos is born creation, from suffering comes strength. The same fire that destroys can also purify. When the world lurches, we are given the sacred task of setting it right again, of rebuilding what has been lost—not merely in stone, but in spirit.

The lesson is profound and clear: life is fragile, and the peace we take for granted rests upon the choices we make each day. When catastrophe strikes, we are called to be anchors for one another—to steady the spinning world through compassion, understanding, and resolve. Let no one believe that heroism belongs only to the battlefield or the burning tower; it also lives in quiet acts of empathy, in the hand extended to a stranger, in the refusal to let hatred take root.

So, my children, remember this: when the world lurches, stand firm. When darkness falls, be the keeper of the flame. In your own life, when despair threatens to unbalance your heart, do not yield—breathe, rise, rebuild. Help others to rise with you. For every soul that chooses kindness, every voice that speaks for peace, steadies the world upon its axis once more. And thus, from the sorrow of September, let there be born not bitterness, but hope—the kind that endures beyond all ruin and restores the sacred rhythm of the human heart.

In this way, Jeb Bush’s words become not merely a remembrance of a single day, but a testament to the resilience of humankind. The world may lurch, but it shall never fall, so long as we continue to awaken—to love, to unity, and to the eternal calling of our shared humanity.