Aftermath of Terror Gayle Cook, September 14, 2001 Searching...   for meaning behind someone dying to cause such pain instead of prevent it, that anyone could commit such horror (while really believing only madness could drive them) Searching...   for loved ones in the rubble for gratitude that some could call moments before disaster (gratitude to a technology oft seeming run amok) for those lost trying to save lives Searching...   for those involved in terror for those who supported them with money, intelligence, and other efforts for those who yet might be willing to kill for understanding how any could rejoice (while not really wanting to understand) Searching...   for ease, for a way to lessen such pain that tears at the soul, finding that coming together lessens the pain that speaking of pain starts the healing Searching...   for love amid the hate that we do not sink to such levels of terror of hating those who disagree Searching...   for moments of pride for moments of gratitude at how we come together among the carnage Searching...   for some way to prevent future strikes (by striking back?) for some way to guarantee our safety (but at what price?) preventing more pain and horror and loss without surrendering who we are Searching...   for ways to help, any way to reach out to those hurting worse than ourselves, to those still searching Searching...   for a better response than hatred and revenge that just creates more hatred and revenge for the strength not to blame those who share a common ancestry or religion with those who brought so much pain Searching...   for hope, for meaning to the losses of people, of innocence, of belief that some things are too horrible to contemplate Searching...   for justice claiming the culprits for security that it not happen again for peace to sleep at night, to board a plane, to ride an elevator high into the air for joy again, any joy ever again. Gayle says that anyone is free to use this as long as they include her name wherever they use it.