innerviews_sonya_embrace frAnk i think the tragedy of nine-eleven has affected every person in the world in some capacity. your response is rare and inspiring because most people have grown more fearful as result. i love how you said, "i have come to embrace the little things that happen each day." embrace. very cool. i know you went on to explain how you no longer take things for granted and found new happiness in others but please expound on what that term means to you. 020529 ... Sonya I think it's safe to say that most of us take things for granted a lot of the time. For instance, our safety. Before 9/11 I never really thought anything catastrophic would happen...though I was well aware of the daily dangers people in other countries (especially third world) face. What does 'embrace' mean to me? Frank you are great at delivering the toughies. :P Anyway, I just meant that nowadays I try to better appreciate life itself. The fact that the alarm clock goes off in the morning and I'm still ALIVE to hear it is something I try not to take for granted. In some ways, I always knew that something terrible would happen such as 9/11 because I'm well aware that the US isn't everyone's 'best friend' so to speak. In fact I've said and written some things in the past that many would call "anti-American" in relation to what I just wrote. It wasn't so much anti-American as it was more along the lines of pro-global awareness. I had the feeling that it was just a matter of time before something horrible would happen, but I never thought it would be so...large if that's the right word. Many times in the past I wouldn't pay attention to anything. My world consisted of waking up, getting dressed, eat (sometimes), go to class, come home, eat, do homework, do homework, do homework, then squeeze in some sleep if it wasn't an all nighter. It got to the point where I didn't even know why I was in that routine. See: perpetual_insanity -that was written on one of those days which wasn't that long ago. Sometimes when you face tragedy of some sort, it makes you realize what you have in front of you. Tragedy is often associated with or actually IS loss. When we lose something, we look at what we have left...and in my case I have a lot left to love and live for. An embrace is a special hug. I guess I am trying to hug the intangible...life and its miracles. Oh ya, I'd hug you too if I could. :) An embrace to me is summed up as a tender squeeze of that which you love. If it's small or intangible, you embrace it with your heart. You allow the warmth of your heart to surround it. I sound like a new age guru now huh? Everyone on blather red is invited to a party in my energy circle! :P 020529 what's it to you? who go blather from