Everything changed on 
September 11, 2001

For several days, many of us found ourselves glued to our televisions, desperate for any information about the holocaust in New York, Washington D.C. and Pennsylvania. Along with the victims we prayed, we raged, we cried. We fought our own sense of disbelief that such a thing could happen.

For the first time, it became clear to those of us born after World War II, what the nation must have felt on December 7, 1941.

Shifting, passionate, emotions may have overwhelmed us, but not all of the feelings were negative. Alongside the pain, we felt bursting pride for our nation and our brave citizens. Our previous lackadaisical attitudes seemed self-centered and shabby.

Throughout the initial days adrenaline pumped through our veins, keeping us alert, tuned in, and bold. Many of us reported that our mood was better than before the attack. We were focused on something so big that our own problems became trivial.

Inevitably, however, this phase of high energy and broad perspective had to fade. We had to get back to our regular lives, but we could not go back to how it was before.

Now, more than one month after September 11, everyone is experiencing the full weight of the tragedy. The loved ones of the murder victims are settling into a previously unknown and unwanted reality; life in an amputated family. The rest of us are struggling with the effects of a collective trauma. We are concerned for the future, and afraid of the possibilities.

This insecurity can affect us in many ways. Whatever bad habits we may be prone to -nail biting, insomnia, drinking, over eating, obsessing, criticizing-may be worse now. If there’s something we do when we’re stressed, then we’re surely doing it now. The depression that lifted in the early days after the attack has likely returned, and may be worse than ever. It is important for all of us stay aware of our feelings and actions, and to take responsibility for finding help if we are having difficulty coping.

Even as this newsletter is being written, news programs are broadcasting information about Anthrax infections. It is easy to give in to fear, and it is difficult to maintain a rational sense of perspective. If fear is overriding good sense and proportion, then reach out. Family, friends, clergy, and professional therapists are willing to help even as they, too, make the effort to come to terms with our new reality.

Life may not be as it was, but it can still be as good as we work to make it. Maybe we’ll even appreciate what we have, just a little bit more than we did before September 11, 2001