Dear John, Kay, and Debra, Thank you for your eloquent posts to this list. John, your juxtaposition of yesterday's events and the JoniFest made me even more thankful that some of us were able to be at Ashara's to indulge together in some of the best that Life has to offer. I wish we could all be together like that, always. Kay and Debra, I am so thankful that you (as well as our other NYC listers) are safe. Your posts are incredibly well-written and heartfelt. Through your words I understand a little more of what it was like to be there. How awful. I am so sorry to learn that you may have lost friends, and will continue to keep you all in my prayers. I still don't have words to describe my feelings about these tragedies. My first instinct upon coming home early yesterday was to put an American flag in the yard. I resisted that -- remembering so well my automobile conversations with Hell and Will (on our way from Ashara's to Lower Manhattan), asking them if other countries fly their flags all over the land as Americans do ... other countries don't. It's not that I'm not proud to be an American (I ached yesterday to be able to rejoin the military), but ... oh I don't know. I want the world to come together, rather than to see us separate and isolate ourselves. I want TOLERANCE. I've been overwhelmed by a strange sense of calm since yesterday morning. So has Mary. I thought perhaps it's our many years of Air Force service, but my mother reacted the same way. I haven't even cried yet, which makes me wonder if there's something wrong with me. Perhaps I'm simply still numb. We must, as a civilized and free society, do everything we can to find the perpetrators of these atrocities. But the idea that we might visit something similar upon innocent civilians -- regardless of their beliefs, regardless of whether they hate the U.S. or not -- makes me feel ill. Doing such things makes "us" no better than "them," and just continues the evil. Yes, this is me writing these things, the same Lori who owns a handgun and has believed in capital punishment all these years. This is me, standing on the edge of changing my mind about all of that. As far as the sniping on this list goes, that rears its ugly head from time to time. It would be wonderful if we could give it a rest right now, though, at least for awhile. This place can be an oasis if we want it to be. I love you all, those I've met and those I have not. Feel lucky, enjoy life, and care for everyone you can. Life is precious and time is something not to be wasted on pettiness and hatred. My coupla cents. Lori home safe in Wheaton, MD ~ __________________________________________________ Terrorist Attacks on U.S. - How can you help? Donate cash, emergency relief information http://dailynews.yahoo.com/fc/US/Emergency_Information/
