In a Time of Grief:

Giving Words to Our Sorrow:

A New Invitation:

How to Contribute:

• Write down precisely what happened to you on the day America changed, recording the events as accurately and in as much specific, concrete detail as possible. Where were you? What time was it? Who was with you? What did you see, hear, experience?
• Write down how you feel about what happened. Name each emotion you feel and describe it as clearly as you can.
• This experience may remind you of another painful experience in your past. If so, write about it as well. What are the connections between these experiences? How are the feelings similar?
• As long as it feels right to you, write every day, for 10-15 minutes. Write, even if it feels to you that you are repeating yourself, and saying the same words over and over. Trust yourself---you’ll know when to stop. Many of the feelings you record will be dark or negative. Try to recognize those dark feelings, and include at least one positive feeling in each of your daily writings. Grief and loss are painful teachers, but their lessons are powerful, too.
• If you have young children, ask them to write their stories about the day America changed. If they're too young to write, ask them to tell their stories as you write them down. These can become precious family possessions.

• The Healing Power of Stories: Creating Yourself Through the Stories of Your Life, by Daniel Taylor
• Opening Up: The Healing Power of Expressing Emotions, by James Pennebaker
• Writing as a Way of Healing: How Telling Our Stories Transforms Our Lives, by Louise DeSalvo
• Writing from Life: Telling Your Soul's Story, by Susan Wittig Albert