as everyone knowsby now the USA was attacked. This morning I woke up whinning about paying so much child support and how courts are unfair, ect. then i turned on the TV. I live in PA and have a LOT of family andf friends that work in NYC. One coworker lost her husband, one coworker has a Aunt and TWO cousins that work in the WTC and are unacounted for. I went to my church tonight for a prayer session and learned that one person lost a sister, one lost a stepparent and the one piolet lives VERY close to where i do and left behind two younge daughters. i know all of our situations are bad but let us ALWAYS remember there are those who have it worse. Think of all the kids whose mom and dad won't be coming home again ever. evryone please say a prayer and please GIVE BLOOD!

God bless those who have been most affected by this tragedy. And God Bless America.<BR>Amen.

Your suggestion of giving blood is a great one. <P>My heart and prayers are for all the persons affected from this great tragedy, which is all of us. <P>May there be world peace. Please give blood.<P>ember

I will/have been praying. This does make our situations pale in comparison. God Bless America!!!!

You all are so right. We were at work and had a small tv on in a back office. The Dr. and patients kept stopping by as everything unfolded. It looked like a scene from "Independance Day"....Horrible.....<P>I went to the bathroom and dropped to my knees in prayer for all of the victims and their families.<P>I will say it again...Look at the blessings the Lord has given each and every one of us. WE GET A SECOND CHANCE!!! Those people who died do not.....Remember that while we feel sorry for ourselves.<P>love and prayers,<BR>Debi<P>------------------<BR>Imagine....

I am glad Mr. Job didn't die in such a tragedy. I am glad to have a second chance to build a life with him. However, I respectfully disagree with some of the thoughts posted here. I don't think that what happened to the nation yesterday makes the pain of affairs and children born of those affairs any less painful or significant.<P>I can often comfort myself by looking at others and seeing that they have it worse. However, if others try to do that for me/to me my reaction is very different. I feel robbed of my grief and as if I am being accused of self-pity and my sorrow dismissed.<P>When I was 16 and was told that I would never have children by birth my mother tried to comfort me by telling me that others were born with far worse birth defects than mine. I know she meant well, but it hurt then, it hurts today. (That doesn't mean I haven't forgiven here for saying it, but the pain is still there just as some of the pain of Mr. Job's affair will always be present in me.)<P>I would ask that we all be careful to not dismiss the very legitimate pain that exists here on these boards. I am especially wary for newcomers whose pain is so raw, so fresh that they might gain absolutely no comfort from comparisons. When I first learned of his affair, I had no perspective on things. I actually wanted one of us, either Mr. Job or myself to die to end the torture I was feeling. It didn't matter to me which one of us it was.<P>I am now at a point in recovery where I can look at others' tragedies and find relief that mine doesn't seem as bad but I didn't always have that perspective.<P>One more example, Mr. Job's sister is married to a man who is almost certainly dying of cancer. From all appearances they have had a very close and loving marriage. He was diagnosed 18 months ago and they can't keep him in remission. He has three types of cancer and is stage 4, I think. The first time she and I spoke of what Mr. Job had done, she told me that she thought I was far stronger to face an affair and a child than she could ever be. I thought that what she was facing was worse.<P>In love and respectful disagreement,<BR>Mrs. Job

By no means would I suggest that our pain shouldn't be here in light of what has happened...however I do believe that we should count ourselves amoung the lucky since we have a second chance. We had the chance to hear the news and be able to call or hug or kiss our loved ones and tell them how grateful we are that they are in our lives and how much we love them. I for one, and this speaks only of me, had a wake up call and yes I did feel like my anger for the day was trite and dismissed it. Not to say the pain of the affair is not legitamite, but I do get the chance to go on. Countless others lost that opportunity Sept 11. Newbies should not be scared off bc we are all so very affected by this tragedy. It just proves that we are not as self-absorbed and as desensitized as some would like to say. We do care about others in this world besides ourselves. And our hearts ache for them. May the Lord give his comfort and mercy to those in so much pain. May God bless America.<P>Love in Christ,<P>bw

Yeah....maybe I read more into peoples' comments than was really there.<P>I guess my point is that I can do this for myself (tell myself that others have it worse) but it feels very dismissive when others try to do it for me.<P>MJ

I do not mean to trivialize anyone's pain on this situation,the ow's and oc that is. my pain is real and it hurts but last night when I was in church and my friend was crying on my shoulder because her hubby died leaving their two small children behind i just held her and when she looked at me and said"how are you?" i can honestly say i would have felt like an [censored] saying "well i know your husband is dead but listen to my problems..." My pian is real but my hubby and i WILL live through it even if someday we are doing it apart. My kids WILL have their father in their lives. They just announced they believe death toll will be over TWENTY THOUSAND now that is perspective! I didn't mean to down play anyone's situation and i didn't mean to scare away newcomers. PLEASE DONATE BLOOD! SO much blood is being sent to the east coast they are worried about the reat of the nation as well.

I am sorry if I stepped on anyone's toes here.<P>My pain was immense.<P>Yours is too.<P>Perhaps to compare one situation w/another of this magnitude was wrong.<P>There IS no comparison, I was wrong to try and do it.<P>Whatif...that story made me cry as does all of this mess....<P>love,<BR>Debi<P>------------------<BR>Imagine....