Billy and MM friends;

I too have been shaken by these barbaric acts. My desk faces directly a portion of the Pentagon. My office is located in Rosslyn, VA. The morning of September 11 is a day, I will always remember because I saw together with my officemates when the hijacked plane hit Pentagon. My 20-year old daughter worked at the WTC last summer. I visited her and also had dinner with MM friends. Met with Billy, Rose and Caminante. One thing my daughter and I learned from this incident is to make each day the best of your life. My daughter did not extend her internship because she had to vacate her apartment by September 1. Some of her friends extended their internship to end September 14 since most of them are seniors and classes for them begin last week of September. Right away my daughter called me that morning at around 9:00 am to tell me that a hijacked plane hit WTC. She received the call from a friend about to go to work at WTC. Thank God her friend is okay but stranded in New York. Having live in this country for over 26 years, I know for sure that the U.S.A. will survive this catastrophe because Americans of all backgrounds are resilient.
Billy, I am glad your son is okay! And Caminante, I am happy to hear that you and your wife are also safe. Take care to all!

[ 09-13-2001: Message edited by: mclarke ]

Through all of this, the one quote that keeps coming back to me is one I heard yesterday from a New Yorker on the street:

"For 364 days out of the year we may all have an attitude, but on one day, who could be your worst enemy is coming up to you and asking if you're all right."

As I've read through all your posts (here and otherwise), I know we don't all agree on everything, but it's evident that we do recognize pure evil when we see it.

Live deliberately from here on out. Make a difference, and reach out to whomever needs you, today and always.

Thanks to all for checking in. I notice that we have an international community here that has come together to face tragedy head-on and stare evil in the face. We have, we are, and we will overcome, because we are ALL stronger and better than this.

Something that touched me deeply was an email message I got from the family we stayed with in Kosovo. We went there as part of a humanitarian effort to bring supplies to country schools...now they send their prayers and support. As CaliBasco said, we should reach out and help whenever we can. It is a lot harder to hate someone you shared a meal or a laugh with, and it helps counteract the forces of pure evil that would rather see the world divided in war than united in peace.

This board has been a blessing during this difficult time! The outpouring of support...especially from our international friends...reminds all of us just how wonderful people can be and gives those of us lucky enough to have been spared personal suffering the chance to reach out in some small way to those who are in the thick of things to say we care and that our thoughts and prayers are with every one of you!

Watching the interviews of people who are searching for loved ones and hearing their personal stories is putting a face on all the victims. Sharing feelings of grief is way to say to say we care. Yes, those of us who have been spared personal suffering in this tragedy, do want to reach out to our fellow man.
la maestra, I sent another message.
brichards

Here's something I received from a friend, by e-mail, not long ago. I think he says it better than I could. I think it's worth sharing.

Wolf
--------------------------------

AN OPEN LETTER TO TERRORISTS
by jwillis@bellatlantic.net
(Jim Willis & Nicole Valentin-Willis/Tiergarten Sanctuary Trust)


I don't know your name, or names - we may never know who you are - so I
can't address you personally. Today, you killed several thousands of our
friends...perhaps not people who we knew personally, but people like us.

People who worked hard to make a living, who loved someone, who were
loved by someone, who worried about making a better life for their
children and grandchildren, who believed in God and the American Dream,
who criticized this country for its insufficiencies and cared enough to
try and change things and ensure a better future, not just for us, but
for the world. People who leave behind scores of loved ones, friends,
pets, neighbors, coworkers, and members of their faiths. Perhaps even
people who derived from your own country and who sought refuge here.
Your act was a slaughter of the innocents.

You are like an insidious cancer that strikes without warning, ravages
bodies, tears families apart, and in the end can never destroy the soul.

You are the ultimate coward.

You may topple our buildings, collapse our communication systems,
disrupt our government, crash our markets, and leave behind the carnage
of bodies, but you will never destroy the soul of America. We made this
country from the bits and pieces of the rest of the world; we took the
best, the worst of every culture and nationality, race and creed, and
made an alloy that may be dented, but not even a trial by fire can melt.

I don't know what god you believe in, or what hateful rhetoric you
espouse, or what your misguided political beliefs might be that allows
you to do what you did today without a fear of eternal damnation. I only
know that you may win a battle or two, but you will never win this war.
We have the entire history of the world on our side, and no dictator,
despot, or madman has survived as long as America has thrived and
prospered. If you accomplished anything at all today, it was to give
America a wake-up call, and we will now rise up stronger than before.
You are defeated before you've even begun, there in your private hell
and later in your eternal one. Someday your people may even need our
help, and because we are America, we would respond.

May God bless the friends we lost, their families, friends, neighbors
and coworkers. We will help them rebuild from the ashes. May God
continue to bless America, help her to protect us all, and may she
continue to shine as a beacon of democracy and hope to the rest of the
world.

Copyright Jim Willis 2001
In deepest sympathy to those who have lost a loved one.
Permission to share.

Seconded,
Wolf

Toddy(who stands as tall as he can next to you wolf and my beautiful America)

How you can help:

To Give Blood:
American Red Cross
1-800-HELP-NOW
New York Blood Center
1-800-933-BLOOD

To Make Financial Contributions:
American Red Cross
1-800-HELP-NOW
United Way
1-212-251-4035 (Manhattan)
1-800-411-UWAY (8929) (National)


American Red Cross http://www.redcross.org/
1-800-HELP-NOW

Salvation Army http://www.salvationarmy.org/
1-800-SAL-ARMY

United Way http://national.unitedway.org/
1-800-411-UWAY (8929)

action is much louder than words

Dear Friends: NYC and the USA is a "Phoenix" that will rise from the ashes of this horrific carnage. My youngest son Danny went into the City yesterday in order to try and help in the rescue. He called me last night from "Ground Zero" and was working at the "Pile" My older boy Billy is at the "Pile" as a NYC Fireman trying to save any innocent victim. I have never been prouder and never more frightened than I am know.Danny has to come home tonight and get cleaned up and ready to report when the President calls up 50,000 reservists to help in the effort and God knows what else.Keep all of the rescue workers and the poor lost souls in your Prayers.Regards Ski

Hi all-

I just found out late last night that a very good friend of mine growing up, who I unfortunately haven't seen for a few years, was in his office on the 96th floor of Tower 2 when the 1st plane hit. He made it outside, talked to his sister on his cell phone, and indicated that they were told it was safe to go back in. He hasn't been heard from since. His family is searching from the armory to hospital to hospital, and he appears on 3 website lists-listed twice as critical, once as injured, but they can't find him anywhere & there's no record at the Armory. Please everyone pray for him so that he may somehow return home safely. There was an article about him in today's paper, stating his mother is hearbroken and all his little nieces and nephews are asking questions.

I now regret not having hunted him down after we lost touch, something I always said I'd do 'someday', which now will most likely never come. Please do today something you may regret not doing tomorrow. And please give whatever you can-money, food, water, blood, prayers-to help those touched by this disgusting act of terror and to hopefully help the world recover.

Thanks,
Denise

What a lovely group of people we have here. I am particularly touched to read the tributes and caring words from people outside the USA; your words help me to remember that the international community grieves with us. So many times, we Americans have acted as counselors and big brothers/sisters to nations facing tragedy and loss...now it is we who need your kind words and thoughts, your strength and support.

Billy Ski, your children are such heroes. Your heart, I am sure, is filled with pride in them...and so are ours. For those who have lost family and loved ones, my deepest sympathy goes out to you and to your families. My own family was incredibly fortunate; all week now I have heard little bits of stories of cousins who got out of the financial district or who walked away from the city on Tuesday morning.

I hope that all of us are praying, in our own ways, for our leaders (throughout the world) to act wisely and with the deepest reverence for innocent human lives.