Remembering 9-11: Let the Healing Begin

Much like, “where were you when JFK was shot?”, most of us remember exactly where we were and what we were doing on September 11, 2001. I remember getting a call from my sister. She was crying hysterically and said “Turn on the TV, we are under attack!” We sat together on the phone watching in shock and saw in real time the second plane fly into the second tower. I felt like the plane flew directly into me. I sat there shell shocked and then remembered that it was the first day of work for my new assistant. When she arrived I told her that I doubted we’d get any work done at all. So together we sat down and prayed. In a flash of divine inspiration I got an idea to offer a workshop to help others deal with the ramifications and post-terror emotions of this terrible tragedy. My assistant and I went to work immediately to make it happen and we began developing a workshop called “Let the Healing Begin.” The workshop was born as a result of feeling totally helpless and then turning to prayer to ask how I could serve. I just knew I had to do something and felt compelled to step up and help others through their grief. Rescue workers flocked to ground zero and gave so much of themselves to help those immediately involved, but I knew that the ripple effect of this tragedy reached right into my own backyard and community. People needed a place to go to talk about and validate their own sense of loss and pain. However the seminar’s ultimate goal was to help people to shift their focus from fear to love, to learn the importance of resiliency and to look for the good in the situation such as increased patriotism, unity and compassionate humanity. I wrote this poem and made up bookmarks to hand out at the event. The sentiment is equally meaningful and necessary today as it was eight years ago. Let the Healing Begin by, Kathleen Hassan All we have is this moment and all we have is each other. If we don’t get it now, then we’ll never understand; we are all God’s children – sister and brother. When knocked to our knees, we must stay there and pray. Our faith, hope and love will show others the way. Be gentle with yourself and nurture peace in your soul. Give your troubles to God and let Him take control. Let the healing begin and let it begin with you. We’re not alone on this path – together we’ll see it through. Keep shining your light for all the world to see. Dare to be brilliant and you light the way for me.