As this issue went to press, my e-mail server repeated an observation many of us had been making: We are changed. It's true. The events of September 11 caused people everywhere to realize how precious human life is. Last Friday, as I passed through Harvard Square with friends, I found myself sending out blessings to everyone I saw—from the lone student walking back to the dorm, to the Chicago rhythm-and-blues man whose show we caught at Johnny D's. The only time I can remember feeling anything like this overwhelming tenderness occurred when my daughter was born. For a while, I couldn't bear to hear criticism of anyone—I saw everyone as some mother's baby.
The Journal staff set out months ago to put together a December issue that would emphasize healing at Christmastime. So, many of these articles were already in place on September 11. But then, like individuals and organizations everywhere, we wanted to do more. Now, our Starting Point commemorates the spirit of Christmas in New York. In Frontlines—a feature you'll be seeing in future issues—a chaplain tells how both the wounded and their helpers at the Pentagon turned to God; a special report shows the progress made in the fight against terrorism over a 70-year period; and a woman teaching in Germany during the Baader-Meinhof era tells how she faced her fears.
Further on in the magazine, you'll find an in-depth interview with a spiritual healer, and our Christmas gift to you—two pages of poems, set against a snowy landscape. May the promise of the angels of centuries ago sing with new hope in this century: Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward all.
