I'm so glad that our members are okay and I have really appreciated the posts from patrick, Debra, and Kay. Somehow it seems important to stay in touch with the feelings of those most affected and their communications have helped more in that regard than most of the stories in the news. I still feel very sad/depressed - can't get a good night's sleep - woke up this morning at 3:15 feeling worried about the future. I feel like I now understand how my mother could worry about nuclear war and the future of her children. I feel helpless and vulnerable and I don't even live in NY or DC or the USA for that matter, but if it can happen there, it can happen anywhere. Many Europeans are as deeply shaken and saddened. On Thursday last week, an Austrian colleague brought me a lovely long-stemmed red rose and expressed her sympathy. I was very touched by her gesture. When I see people of other nationalities mourning or expressing their sorrow and sympathy, I feel very moved. Last Tuesday, the Austrian Chancellor immediately raised the black flag of mourning in front of the Austrian Parliament building, and Austria observed one minute of silence at 11 a.m. last Wednesday, and the three minutes of silence at 11 a.m. on Friday. At the Vienna International Centre where I work, the staff observed one minute of silence in front of the Japanese Peace Bell in our outdoor plaza at 3 p.m. last Thursday. Three of my USA friends were with me and we all cried together after the ceremony. We all feel haunted by the images we have been seeing in the news. One of the friends, Mike, forwarded a message to me this morning from another friend of his named Terry. Her message seems very forward-thinking and hopeful, and contains totally different ideas about how to "win the war against terrorism" than I have ever seen. In the hopes that maybe somebody in JMDL is in a position to get something like this started, I am passing it on. My love and prayers are with everyone. Marian + + + + + + + Message from Mike: Like so many people, I am at a loss for words regarding events of the last few days. A friend of mine, Terry, sent me an email that expressed the reactions of many Americans I know. It is very human and and natural to wish for retribution. There will be military retribution by the US government and there really isn't any other choice. But maybe we can spend some time focusing on a "Retribution of Love" as well. I don't believe in national or regional politics. I believe in personal politics. I believe that God made us to love and help one other. I believe in the politics of love and forgiveness. Terry expresses this much more eloquently than I can hope to do and I forward her thoughts to you. Mike + + + + + + + Message from Terry: Friday was a national day of mourning, but by then I felt like I'd done nothing but since Tuesday mourning. So I dedicated my Friday to healing, and as Author Ivan Doig called it, 'dreaming forward.' I deeply hope the voices of reason and justice prevail over cries for vengeance. If our leaders guide themselves not by missiles but by the children we have a chance. In my forward-dream, we use for life the whole $40 billion Congress handed Bush. The war-designated $20 billion goes to 'infiltrate' societies that have suffered too deeply for too long. We overwhelm them with literacy programs, health care, microcredit, infrastructure building, de-mining. We inspire the international community and together create a barrage of investments in people and innovative, sustainable businesses the likes of which the world has never known. Political and diplomatic pressure becomes part of a ground swell that crashes through cultural and racial barriers. We set up covert anti-terror operations by creating life-infused cells rather than creating new hate cells for Bin Laden and the forces of disintegration. In short order, criminals no longer are able sit in places of power because their own people -- women and men -- ferret them out. Their hiding places for hate are exposed to the earthlight of food, homes, hope, medicines, and dignity. I know it has been hoped for and dreamed of in the past. But this is a time of turning. This is the moment we write the story for the next several generations to come. As Paul Hawken asks, What will our story be? At a time when words fail we often look to those written in saner moments. An old song by Kris Kristofferson, poet extraordinaire, keeps going through my head. We used to sing it to our kids. It pushed up from memory like a plant seeking sun. I don't know its name, so I'll just call it THE QUESTION Deep in the heart of the infinite darkness, A tiny blue marble goes whirling through space. Born in the splendor of God's* holy vision Sliding along like a tear down his* face. Look closer you'll see the whole wide holy wonder, Mountains and rivers, oceans and trees. And the strangest creation of many, a human A creature of laughter, wisdom and dreams. But the warriors are waving their old rusty sabers, Preachers are preaching their gospel of hate. By their behavior determined to teach us A lesson we're soon to be learning too late. Look closer my brother, we're killing each other, We've got to stop and get started today. Because Life is the question and Life is the answer God is the reason, Love is the way. Life is the question and Life is the answer God is the reason, Love is the way. (*Freely substitute with language that is comfortable for you) + + + + + + + +
