It has been over a month now...What I would like to know is how are all of you are dealing with what is happening. I live in NJ saving for a farm in NY. {And I wish with all my heart I was there now!} However I am not. Instead I am in Central NJ. Where if something hasnt happened to your family it has happened so close to you that it may as well have. I breathed the smoke from the sky that day. It is a part of me as nothing before and please nothing ever will be again. I think Im fine and then on the way home from work while listening to the news I almost broke down and had to pull over.

I am the one people come to for answers. When they dont know what is going on they ask me. And I am at a loss. The violence and horror continues. The constant barrage on my very soul is such that I dont know what to do. I personally always seek peace in nature. It has always been the cure for all of my ills. Thanks for listening. I dont know if I wanted anything or just wanted to get that out.

-- lee daisy (leedaisyw@cs.com), October 19, 2001

Answers

Response to Hope?Peace?

Thank you for sharing lee. It is helpful to me to know that someone else is still having trouble processing the whole thing. I also find peace in nature and am forcing myself to take frequent walks. Doing the little things necessary to take care of ourselves makes us more able to reassure those around us.

-- diane (gardiacaprines@yahoo.com), October 19, 2001.

Response to Hope?Peace?

HOPE! PEACE!!! Hang in there, Lee, it's tough on everybody. We're with in spirit. Find some nature this weekend if you can.

-- gilly (wayoutfarm@skybest.com), October 19, 2001.

Response to Hope?Peace?

You. We're with you in spirit...:o)

-- gilly (wayoutfarm@skybest.com), October 19, 2001.

Response to Hope?Peace?

This news report cheered me up and brought tears to my eyes... (I know it's not people, but gives "some" hope....)

Cat, Kittens Found Alive in WTC Rubble Story by Jeannie Piper and 9NEWS Staff October 19, 2001 - 8:52am While the chance of finding any survivors in the World Trade Center rubble vanished long ago, there is a survivor story.

A cat apparently trapped under the debris has been found alive, with a new litter of three kittens. Mom with one of her babies. Rescuers found the cats curled up in a carton of napkins. They were in the basement of what used to be a restaurant at the World Trade Center.

Rescue workers rushed mom and the kittens to a vet.

Mom was thin and dehydrated, however, vets say all of the cats will be just fine.

-- Joyce Dingman (FriendsPatterns@juno.com), October 19, 2001.

Response to Hope?Peace?

Hi, Lee.... I was called, too. And had difficulty finding what to say that was consolitory. Thankfully I trust that He has everything under control. I rely on the fact that it is not needful to understand the Big Picture. When I get baffled by world events, I seek to focus on my part. In all the tragedy, dishes and clothes still need washed. The rabbits and chickens still need fed, and my house plants still thirst. Time will heal the wounds, but not without scars. Our disability does not have to be completely debilitating. Thank you for being honest and honoring yourself by your post. Feel the hurt, face the hurt. We need not be overcome by the hurt.

-- D T Warburton (warking@cccomm.net), October 19, 2001.

Response to Hope?Peace?

Hope?

Yes. Always. Where there's hope there's life. Where there's no hope there is soon no life.

Peace?

Not in the near term. Pretty doubtful for the middle distance as well. Most anything could happy in the long term.

={(Oak)-

-- Live Oak (oneliveoak@yahoo.com), October 19, 2001.

Hello Lee, I'm from Oklahoma and lived through the bombing, so I understand what you are going through. When I saw the towers collapse on television, the horror of those days I'd processed pushed to the forefront again. I'd almost gotten rid of the knot in my stomach. Since we all have been touched by this overwhelming evil in one way or another, things will never be the same again. Therefore, we must try to find a way to bring in our own peace of mind, minute by minute. Sometimes that is hard. For me, I find projects of one thing or another helpful. Right now, I'm remodeling my kitchen/great room area of my tiny, tiny farm house myself. lol It in itself looks like a war zone. The only way I get from one moment to the next is to have a goal like this to achieve. My meditations help also, but those bring everything to the surface to be processed. But that is helpful too. Another word of advise ... eat well before all else. Stress can be lessoned by a healthy body. Eat green stuff. lol Also, maybe you take your role as comforter too seriously. When others come to you, perhaps you could simply turn it back to them by asking what they think. I believe everyone has whatever it takes to deal with problems if only given the chance. Just a thought. I've found myself in that spot many times. Blessings to you and your family. Iris

-- Iris (Sar_India@msn.com), October 20, 2001.

Lee- don't listen to the news on the way home! Seriously, I know how hard it is to turn it off but it will help tremendously and don't you think that if something were to happen, you'd find out about it quick enough?

I believe the media are doing what they are supposed to by covering this story. Some complain they go on too much-perhaps, but as individuals, we can turn it off. It is not being unpatriotic or disinterested-you can chose say a ten minent top of the hour radio report, or the newspaper and coffee in the security of your kitchen, then let it go the rest of the day. Its hard, but you can do it and you'll feel better for it.

I believe that one problem we all have is the sense of helplessness. You give your pint of blood, and contribute a few bucks, and then what? I do not for a second what to diminish the troubles and pain of the Tower/Pentigon victims-but, the sad fact remains there are many, many other people in this country who can use your help- volenteer at a soup kitchen or homeless shelter. These folks can most certainly use your help and it would provide a most worthy distraction for you.

Don't think you need to have all the answers-people come to you for answers?, Well, sometimes you need to send them to someone else for a while, or you can go to someone else. Talk it out, it will help.

Finally, to put some historic perspective on all this-violence and horror have been with us allways-Viking raids, Indian massacres (not to mention what we did to them) countless wars, Its allways been with us. We'll get through it, but each of us has to find that place inside and remember that, yes its terrible, but there are wonderful, great good things that happen also and we need to remin open to that, other wise the terrorists win.

-- Kelly in Ky (ksaderholm@yahoo.com), October 20, 2001.

Wonderful, wonderful answers....I decided long ago that I wouldn't put my energy and focus on anything in the world that I couldn't do something about - 911 is one of those things. I have no TV, refuse to listen to the news, and don't subscribe to newspapers, so I feel very peaceful most of the time.

I, too, focus on daily living and Nature. I will not concentrate on, or give in, to fear and panic. Where would THAT get me, or affect anyone I come in contact with?

I, too, believe that our Creator is still, and will always be, in charge.

-- Bonnie (chilton@stateline-isp.com), October 20, 2001.