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--> --> Defeat terrorism from within By William M. Kreglow Ashland Each morning as I awake and gradually regain thought it hits me. I am hurt by the violence in the world. There are terrorists out there who want to kill me without even knowing me. Our military is out there trying its best to eliminate and kill these terrorists before they can kill me. It's real. I can't escape it. It hurts! It stimulates insecurity, fear, and anger in me. Rage! Before Sept. 11, the same violence existed in the world, but I was not so aware of it. It was out there in other countries, but here in America we were above all that. It was an intellectual challenge, but somehow not real. I read about cycles of violence in history books, but we were past all that now. That was history. The Cold War was over. We had won! Before Sept. 11, insecurity, fear, and anger were still part of me, but world events didn't trigger these buggers every day. Those things that triggered the dark side of me were most often things I could avoid, control or walk away from. I cannot destroy terrorism. I can't even reason with it! Neither can I eliminate or control its impact on my world, my country, my neighbors, or my loved ones. I only have the ability to control it's impact on me. Overcoming the negative impact of terrorism on me is the war on terrorism I must win. I am not a victim of terrorism unless I act out my insecurity, fear, and anger. The hardest part for me has been to stop judging events, or feeling a moral need to judge events. When I refrain from judging, I can more easily accept reality, and my limited control over it. Without the terrible emotional burden of judgment, I can objectively discern the impacts of an event and rationally decide what response, if any, would be helpful from me. In difficult situations, a judgmental response from me won't have a positive impact on external events. It will have a negative impact on others and me. If I do not judge, I do not have to hate and fight accepting reality. I retain my power to have a positive impact. Focusing on the heroic acts of so many rescue workers in New York City and Washington, D.C. which the news media have highlighted so wonderfully has helped me. Listening to the heartfelt songs extolling the beauty, compassion, courage, and freedom that is America has helped me an awful lot. Tears have helped. Those in the entertainment business have brought much healing to me in the difficult days since Sept. 11. I must continually wake up to the love, beauty, compassion, and life all around me every moment. I must see it! Feel it! Hug it! Enjoy it, abstaining from all judgment! I must live and love and give. This positive energy heals me. It heals others. It defeats terrorism. It takes courage. Email your... Technical questions & comments to: WebMaster Daily Tidings editorial comments & questions to: Editor Visit our other Oregon Newspapers... | Albany Democrat-Herald | Ashland Daily Tidings | Corvallis Gazette-Times | | Lebanon Express | Newport News-Times | Springfield News | Cottage Grove Sentinel | Ashland Daily Tidings 1661 Siskiyou Blvd. Ashland, OR 97520 Telephone 541-482-3456 © Copyright 2001 Lee Northwest Publishing