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Newsletter Volume 1 - September 17, 2001
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Our hearts go out to the victims of the tragedies and their families. At this time of national grief, let us all try to use our words to heal.
With hope and prayers,
Irwin Katsof & Chaim Feld
WordsCanHeal.org Co-Founders
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Quote of the Week
"Kind words can be short and easy to speak, but their echoes are truly endless."
Mother Teresa
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What to tell the children about the tragedy
There is something that I want to say to you,
To help you get through this difficult time.
The world has changed today,
It is up to us to decide if it is for the good or for the bad.
It's hard for adults to comprehend what has happened,
Be glad we don't understand the minds of people who commit such evil.
Please don’t let this change your loving-hearted view of the world.
Most of the world is kind, good, compassionate.
Ancient wisdom says that everything has a purpose.
Please don’t let this purpose be to make the world a frightening place.
Rather, let its purpose be to teach us to be a little kinder,
To reach out a little more, to be more patient, more appreciative, more loving.
When we are about to say something mean,
Perhaps we can say something kind.
When a friend asks us for a favor,
Perhaps we can really extend ourselves for him.
When a lonely relative calls,
Perhaps we can give her all the time she needs.
Today we all feel helpless,
As if there’s nothing we can do.
Maybe if we work on improving how we treat others,
We will be doing our part to make the world a better place.
The world has changed today,
Let us make it for the good.
Written by Hilary Rich, Chaim Feld and Irwin Katsoff, authors of “The Words Can Heal Handbook” available at www.wordscanheal.org and Amazon.com.
Arriving in bookstores January 2002.
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Tip of the Week: At Work
We are usually so busy racing to meetings that we often don’t stop to get to know the people who work around us.
If you don’t know what to say, just listen. Ask an open-ended question like, “What do you think about all of this?” You might be surprised to learn how special people are.
More Tips for At Work
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Tip of the Week: At Home
Everyone needs nurturing, now more than ever. If mornings are a screaming match to get everyone out of the house on time, or weekends are one big fight over the remote, take this opportunity to regroup and plan your life a little better.
Maybe everyone should wake up a half an hour earlier or take turns choosing a show. Routines that cause harsh words must be changed. With just a little planning and effort, it is possible to greatly increase family harmony.
More Tips for At Home
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Simple acts of kindness . . .
The morning after, I was driving, a bit dazed. I didn’t stop long enough at a stop sign and another driver raised her arm fiercely at me. I felt like crying. I so wanted to have this tragedy make people realize how short life is, how important it is for us to stick together.
Later in the day, I sat behind a woman who did not notice that the light had turned green. I did not honk, I just waited. When she realized that the cars in the next lane were far in front of her, I could see her stunned look in her rear-view mirror. She gave me a firm, grateful wave. Then I did cry. I had been kind to another person and she had been kind in return.
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Campaign Updates
Words can heal.org launched its initial campaign in Washington DC. We were covered in 91 television stations including Peter Jennings and Briant Gumbel.
Over 100 newspapers covered the story. We are off to a great start!
More Information about the Campaign
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