But I wanted to convey my feeling of loss for what happened a year ago. Who knows how many people we lost in that tragedy who are not here to elevate us, to push us to new heights. How many great writers, poets, artists. We will never know. I am a selfish SOB and I wish I had those people around so I could ask them how to do some trick on Poser or give advice on my writing. But I can never ask them, they can never tell me. It is my loss, your loss, everyone's loss. Lots of Love

It's never trite to say what you feel from the heart. Don't know if anyone is interested, but I got this column in my email today...one person's way of trying to tell us about five of the people who died, only five of the many, but it is touching to read about these five who seemed like good, decent people, doing the best they could, and better than many: http://www.MelvinDurai.com/victims.htm ... and they are lost to us now, along with the others. You're not the only one having a tough time today.

It's a fine post, RAM. I have to "ditto" dialyn's first sentence. As to those of us who haven't been overly shrouded in comptemplative sadness today, I don't know what to say. Maybe numbed from the death I knew in my Viet Nam days. Maybe pissed off at the 232 (number close, but probably not exact) soldiers that died in their barracks on peace-keeping duty in Beiruit that received a few weeks outrage in the papers. Or the chartered plane full of soldiers returning to the US on Christmas leave that plummeted to the earth killing the mothers and dads of all those children waiting at the airport that got hardly any press at all because around that time, America experienced the loss of a PanAm jet over Lockerby, Scotland. And then there is Oklahoma, etc. Veterans Day and Memorial Day should mean something to a retired soldier. But, I see too many civilians who pay false homage. So, I numb myself to the message of those days, too. Before the "flames" arrive, today makes me sad. 3,000 lives with "fingers" that touched thousands and thousands more is a hard loss to top (so to speak). I guess I've just become a bit more numb than I should be. Or, maybe my melancholy (sp?) feeling today does show through. I guess I'm just remembering a lot of people who died at the hands of terrorists. Israilis and Palestinians notwithstanding. I've spent the day with my wife. Took leave from our government job. Got the kids from school instead of having them come home on the bus. And just took my comfort that we are still together. And busied ourselves. Or, maybe I'm just a sad excuse for a human being.

I just got an IM from dialyn. At the prospect of repercusions, I will offer, a tiny series of words that seemed poetic. It may be a bit out of context because I don't dare post the rest of it. Suffice it to say she took the time to respond to my message above. She deserves a hug for that. "our confidence crashed along with the buildings" Is that a metaphor? Or is it just intuitiveness? Or insight? (smile/sigh)

Proud to be an American...this is my history anyone who tries to tell me that everyone comes from somewhere else and that strength is in our diversity can...strength is in our unity. This is the United not the Diversified states of America. Pride is sitting in the barracks in San Diego listening to the Mayauez story unfold. Sadness is watching President Nixon's helicopter fly over your barracks in Bethesda when he had to resign. Anger is watching the Marines evacuating as Viet Nam fell and feeling betrayed as the SVA collasped without so much as a stand expecting our sudden return. I was twenty-two in 1975. I was a Naval Corpsman. One day as colors were sounding and I stood at the door of Bethesda hospital watching the CNO Admiral Zumwalt walked out the door and stood next to me watching. Yes therein is pride I'll always remember the high and low watching the scene as our flag was lowered.

Hmmmm, TJ, for some reason I thought you to be younger than that. I see you have a few rich memories. And to be nearly the same age as me. Funny (sort of) that you should mention the Mayaguez. I was (kind of) there. I can't saw what role I played due to the everlasting bonds of my top secret security clearence. But, I was "there". Well, not when she was taken, but when she was recovered. I'll just say, "It was AWESOME!" And I was glad to be a part of it.

Attached Link: http://groups.msn.com/ShinningStar/legshelper.msnw

Never let it be considered trite to stand up for what you believe in.It is complacency that allows our enemies to subjugate our wills.So stand tall and feel no shame in announcing loudly and proudly. I AM PROUD TO BE AN AMERICAN ! I included the link to a memorial I put together last year.It was my therapy to work on it.

Attached Link: http://www.geocities.com/jr_neophyte/flash/memory.html

Hmm.. think the other link may not work .. so if interested please use this one.

Hey guys, I meant to reply earlier but got web access cut off accidentily. I just wrote a long reply and dear 'rosity shot it into the twilight zone and now I'm not too worn out to rewrite the entire message,so I'll just say this... It is easy to drive home on well paved streets, enjoying the AC of my privately owned vehicle, coming home to my comfortable house with running water, power and light, cable, taking a cold beer out of the fridge and sitting down with my family in a safe loving environment and forgetting all the while that thousands have given their lives so that I may enjoy the freedoms I quite often take for granted. Thanks Chuck and Tjames for setting it straight. Thanks Dialyn for your words and Knot for your therapeutic memorial. I could be a poor bastard living in constant fear in Iraq. Unfortunately Chuck and TJ, knowing that you are war veterens may make me go soft on critiquing your future work:)

See, I should use the backspace....hahaha "and now I'm too worn out..." is what he meant. LOL

I know someone who works in Manhattan, and for several hours I didn't know if she was at the WTC at the time it happened. I found out hours later that she was okay, but she knew some people who'd died there that day. I found out a few days later that out my company's NY branch had sent some techs over that morning to work on computers for one of the companies in the WTC, but only one of them made it on time due to traffic. The others survived. I didn't know the person, but it's still difficult. I can't imagine what it must have been like for his colleagues.

My brother had a high school friend who worked at the Pentagon. Good guy. Devoted husband. Good father to a biological son and one adopted son that was given up as being too difficult to raise (too many health problems). It was 48 hours before we found out that he had been in the part that was destroyed minutes before the plane plowed into it. For some reason, he got called away from the area and that saved his life. Why his was saved when so many others weren't, I don't know. No answers to these things. I don't like to call it a miracle because there was no miracles for the people who died. But I'll never forget the sound of relief in my brother's voice when he called to let me know his friend was alive and reunited with his wife and children. I know it's not the largest tragedy ever suffered, but each needless death is a tragedy unto itself.