A Week Later

by Leni Chauvin

It has been a little over a week now since Evil and Madness in the guise of human form launched an assault on all civilized people. Like all of you, I was numb with shock when I heard. I had been up since 5:00 o'clock that morning, but for some reason did not put the radio on. September 11th is the birthday of one of my daughters and I was just heading out the door at 8:00 AM (Pacific) to pick up some items for a celebratory dinner when the phone rang and I received the devastating news.

Horror. Shock. Disbelief. Anger. Fear. Sadness. Disgust. Rage. They all boiled up in me as I'm sure they did in you. I immediately thought of my family and friends in New York and spent hours trying to get through to them. Only by contacting people in New Jersey was I able to learn that my New York family had been spared, but it was another full day later before I learned that my friends were safe, too.

"Spared," did I say? How ridiculous! Who among us has been spared from this insanity? As stories start to unfold, no matter where we live in the world, we will all discover that we either knew someone directly involved in the tragedies in New York, Washington and Pennsylvania or that we know someone who knows someone who... How could we not?

We may not have known the victims personally, yet we all lost relatives on September 11th because we are all members of the same familythe family of Man. None of us has been spared. We mourn with those who mourn. We cry with those who cry. We grieve with those who grieve. None of our lives will ever be the same.

In an effort to comprehend that which I still can not comprehend, I have spent the last week glued to CNN and the other television networks trying to understand the magnitude of what has happened, how it could have happened, and what's next not only for the American people but for civilized people everywhere. You probably have done the same thing.

I was horrified to see the aerial video taken by the U.S. Coast Guard over New York's financial district. What we saw in that footage was so much more horrific than what we had seen before. I understand that the World Trade Center complex sat on 16 acres of land. Sixteen acres! I have heard from people I know who live in the area or who are working at Ground Zero that what we see on TV gives us only an infinitesimal understanding of what the area looks like. Apparently it is so much more horrific than anything we can begin to fathom.

I am a New Yorker. I was born and raised there, and even though I haven't lived there for many years, I still consider myself as such. There's something about that city and its magic that just sticks with you if you are one of its children, no matter where life takes you. I now reside in another city in another country, but I am living proof that you can take the girl out of New York, but you can't take New York out of the girl. I am mad as hell at what happened there and proud beyond belief at how the people of that cityand indeed the nationhave rallied.

I'm sure you have been as taken as I at the selflessness of the police, the firefighters, the soldiers, and the countless volunteers involved in this tragedy. We're learning of the heroism of the people on board the plane that crashed in Pennsylvania as they attempted to overtake their hijackers. We're hearing stories of people who drove all night from Texas to New York to bring human skin for grafts. People jumped in their cars from various points in the nation and drove to New York and Washington to do whatever they could. First graders made peanut butter and jelly sandwiches topped with a Hershey's kiss to give as sustenance to the firefighters. Adults waited for many hours to give blood. Contributions to the United Way and The Red Cross have been overwhelming.

Here, in Canada, where I live, I have been touched by the many calls and e-mails I have received from people who knew New York was my home town. They were just checking in to make sure my family was all right. Others who only knew that I am an American expressed their sympathy at what had happened in my country. Over and over again, people I see in my daily life kept saying, "I'm so sorry." "I'm so sorry. "I'm so sorry." Such simple acts of caring and kindness have had a huge impact on me personally and I am very grateful.

In "A Tale of Two Cities," Charles Dickens told us, "it was the best of times, it was the worst of times." He, of course, was talking about events in another place and in another century. These words, however, could just as easily apply to the world in the year 2001.

Yes, we have been dealt an unimaginable blow, yet as a result of that blow, we see the best of times in the form of love and support for the United Statesand for humanity in generalpouring in from around the globe. We learn daily of amazing acts of heroism and determination. We see pictures on the Internet of our unknown friends in countless countries holding candlelight marches in honor of our dead and missing. World leader after leader after leader has expressed their country's commitment to joining us in fighting terrorism. Good people from around the world have offered assistance in so many forms.

With each passing day it becomes increasingly apparent that last week's heinous act of carnage has begot unwavering valor. Americans have been tested and have shown their mettle. Individuals and organizations have given of themselves and will continue to give like they have never given before. We are united with people of conscience from varying countries, religions, and colors in our determination to put an end to this madness. We have been challenged beyond anything we could ever have conceived, yet I have no doubt that good will triumph over evil and that without a doubt, we SHALL overcome.