More of this Feature • Part 1: Messages of Love • Part 2: More Messages • Part 3: More Messages

Add Your Thoughts Add your Thoughts To This List--e-mail your message with the heading "A Message of Love" to Denise at collectdolls.guide@about.com

Join The Discussion "Are Dolls Insignificant in the Face of Recent Events? Share Your Thoughts In The Forum

From Other Guides • Patriotic Craft Projects • Latest News on Attack •  America Under Attack:  Complete Coverage

Elsewhere on the Web • Dolls For Freedom • New York Times • New York Daily News • New York Newsday

Messages of Love--Continued

‘I received your heartfelt statement of solidarity and want my name added to your list. My husband was have supposed have been at the Pentagon the horrible day of the11th, but his meeting was cancelled for the following week. Not only that he had been in the exact place the plane hit several weeks before. Thank God he was spared.

God will be guiding the USA to make the correct decision and lead the world to a better place.
God Bless America and the entire world! Let's all pray
for good to triumph over evil.

Sue Entwistle. New Jersey. USA

 ***

 Joan Schmugler. USA

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‘This message is wonderful and so eloquently describes some of what I am feeling. All my love and prayers to you and all the members of the doll community. Only TOGETHER with our friends and loved ones will we find the strength to overcome the pain and grief of this tragedy and to triumph in our freedom as Americans. 

 Jennifer O'Connor . Earth Angels. USA

***

 ‘The free world stands united in prayer and determination never to succumb to the threats of terrorism. Our thoughts extend to the families directly affected by these recent criminal acts.’
Barbara-Anne S. Johnson. Greensboro, NC. USA

 ***

’Beautifully said .Our hearts go out to our American friends.’

Tracy and Eric Tremblay. King's Court Creations Edmonton, AB. Canada

 ***

‘My heart cries with you. I offer the following from Hymn 214 of The Common Book of Prayer.’  Elizabeth Deckert, Sauk Rapids, MN. USA

‘Grant them the joy which brightens earthly sorrow;
Grant them the peace which calms all earthly strife,
And to life's day the glorious unknown morrow
That dawns upon eternal love and life. ‘

(D.F. Gurney) 

***

‘My family, friends, and I stand united with you and remember:

Then join hand in hand, brave Americans all! By uniting we stand, by dividing we fall.’ ( John Dickinson)

 Judy Taylor. USA

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‘It has been extremely challenging to think or actually conduct business. The emails of support and good wishes from many across the world have been amazing and most appreciated. It is an absolute horror the events that have taken place in our country. Circumstances here are very sad. It truly is unbelievable that four airliners could be hijacked and used for such destruction and tragedy. Fortunately, we are all unhurt physically...but, the emotional impact has been devastating. So many people whose lives have been destroyed...it is overwhelming. Our country is in shock. Today, I think the reality of just how great this loss
is will hit many people as the first shock wears off. I cannot imagine what the final outcome will be.
Perspectives have definitely been altered. Hugging and being with our family and friends is more important then ever. Not putting off whatever it is that nurtures our soul and our heart. People who jumped out of the windows of the World Trade Center to their deaths were not thinking about their last business transaction. Taking more time to be kind to one another is now a priority. I am most pleased that here in America our thoughts are first of helping and being there for each other...not revenge.’

Barrie and Danny Shapiro. The Toy Shoppe. VA. USA

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‘It is with deep hope that the "togetherness" that we are now experiencing worldwide will continue and the good that will derive from this horror will be the one world that Wendell Willkie so hoped we had achieved after World War 2.’

Thelma Leonard. USA

***

’Like everyone else I watched with horror, disbelief and anger the inhuman attacks on America. Man's inhumanity to man has reached unbelievable depths. Terrorists can never win. All they succeed in doing is strengthening the resolve of the people they don't have the courage to face. To the many friends I have made in the USA through dolls, I send my deepest sympathy.

Carole Piper. England.

***

‘September 11, 2001 God must have been sleeping. As horrible as this has been for the people of New York City every person if the United States has been affected. My husband was flying for that morning and for two and a half hours my family held it's breath praying that there were no more plane crashes. Thank God my husband landed safe. I can not imagine what it is like for the people with loved ones in that building. My agony and fear lasted for two and a half hours, their fear and agony will last forever.

Thank you so much for your letter of support. I cried for the first time when I heard our national anthem played at the changing of the guard. It means so much for our friends and allies to stand behind us in our time of trouble. Our country will hunt down these cowards and wipe them from the face of the earth. It is nice to know we have support in our efforts.

Sandy Arkanoff. USA

 ***

‘Please add my name. I have no words to express my horror, it is beyond my comprehension that people can
do this. Thank you for allowing me to be included in your eloquent letter of support. ‘
 Nicola J. Allison. USA

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 ‘We must each ask ourselves "What can I do to preserve the beauty and the wonder of our world and to eliminate the anger and hatred-and the disparity that it inevitably causes?"
Stephanie Blythe. USA

 ***

’How do you express so much in so few words. You can't. The horrific attack on the world trade centre is too me, so big, so incomprehensibly awful, so dreadful it is beyond my comprehension. To use the lives of people as a weapon of mass murder is surly a sign of self-centred megalomaniacal arrogance. The small image that remains with me, alongside many tragic images, is of the dusty little rag doll lying in the rubble. It seems to signify so much, so simply. So much and so many lost. For what? My prayers and thoughts are with all those who lost family and friends and loved ones.
May you all find peace, those who lost their lives, would not have wanted you to suffer.
God bless
Jill Bayley. England

 ***

‘

September 11 started out different from most of my mornings. Usually, I wake early and go to my computer first thing because that is my work. But I always turn the television on, just to hear a voice in the background because both my husband and my son work nights and sleep in late every morning.
On that fateful day I awoke at around 6:00 AM central time-USA, crying and sobbing in my sleep from a terrible nightmare about death. I cannot remember the specifics of the dream, only that at the last minute I had sought solace in the dream in the arms of my Grandmother--who is still living, but in my dream, she was much younger. As I woke, I wiped the tears from my face and hoped that my sobbing had not awakened my husband. I felt ill and crawled out of bed to do my usual morning routine. I was upset and felt the need to share some thoughts and my experience with some of my fellow artists on a small mailing list for Makeover Artists.
Directly after posting about what had happened, I decided to see what was on the television--a little break from my emotional experience and since the sun was shining, I felt that the day would improve. Little did I know that my emotions were about to plunge into the deepest pit of depression that I have ever been in and that this would last for many days! 

My first sight on the television was of the WTC and I watched in horror as I saw a gaping holes and flames coming out of the first of the two buildings. And as I watched, more shock! as another plane hit the second building! It was surreal and horrifying as I have been to New York and visited the beauty of those buildings against the blackness of the NYC skyline. At first, I couldn't even think of the poor people inside --the shock was just too great. But as that realization set-in, I simply had to wake my husband up and then we watched and waited for news of the people who were involved, the victims of this horrible act! And I worried about my doll-artist friends whom I knew lived in that area.

I'm still waiting as is everyone else, for news of the victims. I'm still in shock but slowly coming out of the depression because I have a cause and something to work for. But I feel galvanized and strong, not only more bonded with my fellow Americans and artists, but with people all over the world. I pray this is the beginning of a beautiful new world, but I know that it may take more horror to get to that beauty. My thoughts and prayers will be with the families and friends of the victims and all of my fellow humans who felt the horror and psychological impact, as I did, of this senseless act.
And I will work with my fellow artists to our cause to create dolls for peace and healing to be sold through a benefit auction on my website. This is a way that we can heal ourselves and help to heal others.
May God Bless all who have been affected.

Karen Morley IDATs. USA

 ***

‘Thank you for your wonderful words and the opportunity to express our sympathy.

This evil act of terrorism has affected the entire world, but no others will suffer like the families, friends and all the people of New York with their terrible losses. In this time of tragedy, the support and thoughts, no matter how small, all help

The only salvation for the survivors of this horrific act, and for every other country in mourning, will come through countries around the world working together to put an end to terrorism and securing a safe and peaceful world for our future generations to live. If we can give this to the world, then the lives of these sons and daughters will not have been given in vain.

Our thoughts and prayers are with all those affected by this tragedy.’

Marlene & Tania Xenis. Canada

***

‘In the midst of all the thoughts and emotions circulating around me, the thoughts expressed below I identify as most important. In the last few decades the superfluous aspect of men was generated and
cultured. It was not strength and competition but the touchy feely that were appreciated. Playing with guns was a bad thing. Testosterone was a four-letter word. The warrior nature was denigrated and ridiculed. The real heroes of this event were not compromised by any of that. These men acted immediately, decisively and effectively. Men that knew there was a purpose greater than their own lives and the loss to their families. They were not crippled by fear or indecision. Did not wait for a group consensus to decide what to do. Self-esteem was not the issue. I honor these people. I am
humbled by these people, and I am in awe of these people. Their reflects are those of REAL HEROES. I am tremendously saddened by what has happened and more saddened that it takes an event like this for a person with these qualities to be recognized and respected. It is these people that now will
get between us and the evil people who want to destroy us, not for anything we did, but just because of who we are. I embrace them and welcome them back. I will do anything I can to help them .
In every person there is a season. The season for superficiality is over.’

Michael Langton. USA

 ***

"Linda, John and family feel very deeply about the tragedy that unfolded in New York. Our deepest feelings and sincerest thoughts are with our American friends and colleagues and our heartfelt sympathies go to the families and loved ones of those involved. May we look to a future of harmony, strength and love as we all overcome this tragedy that has touched the  whole world.’