I’m sure everyone will agree that it’s been a terrible week; a week of heartbreak and of sadness and of grief. Other emotions are also there in our lives – somewhere strength and hope and fierce determination emerges. You can see it in the faces of the volunteers; the man who delivers the mail; the one who brings the prescription from the drugstore (garbed in clothing red, white and blue) with a flag on his car; the solemn bus driver, usually so jolly.

Heartbreaking accounts on television about family losses and orphaned children and of many just still missing. An owner of a large company that lost more than half its employees and who had already attended seven memorial or funeral services.

Not even Pearl Harbor or the Gulf War produced the wave of patriotism we have seen in the last 17 days; flags flying everywhere; ribbons and pins and neckties and hats and even houses, adorned with something red, white, and blue. Long lines at blood banks in 50 states are quickly filling medical needs and quotas.

Vigils in every kind of house of worship and in public buildings, parks and stadiums, and the open spaces across America. Flowers and candles by the hundreds, banked against the sites where loved ones are departed or lost.

Bands and bagpipes, orchestras and choirs, and trumpets and drums – all are saying in their musical way the things the country’s people are feeling in their hearts. Everywhere people have gathered to try and resume some kind of normalcy, there are moments of silence and prayers and humble people honor the dead, the living, and the hundreds of volunteers who are helping.

Unprecedented things have been accomplished with ease. Congress voting as one, to provide help, money and hope. President Bush speaking to his Congress, his cabinet, his fellow Americans, and the world with words of wisdom and promise and caution. He told us the way it is and the way it must be – no compromise, no halfway measures. The world leaders and understanding and resolve, speaking louder to the United States than those who mumble their disagreement.

We won’t forget the hours of toil and trying and terrible circumstances for our animal friends – the dogs trained to search and find all kinds of drugs and humans and missing items.

We have heard much about the courage and the untiring deeds of adults – volunteers in all kinds of efforts. But the children of America are contributing what they are able. Some gave change from their penny banks, others sold lemonade and cookies and brownies, and whatever they had to give. Others collected bottles and donated the change received from turning them in.

We have no idea how much money has been collected for families of the firefighters and police officers and medical volunteers who have perished. It has come in every denomination we can think of – silver money, paper money, checks, and pledges large and small – five dollars or five million dollars. A day’s pay or a tax rebate. Each gift is a precious and mighty one. It will soon be in the billions.

Think about it all – write it down in a list as I have just done, what do you – we – have? We have hope, courage, strength, determination, and love. Giant waves of love, crossing America from sea to shining sea and on the ships that sail them. Love that gives the country faith to go forward and to win the war against terrorism. Don’t think for a minute we won’t!

The words of courage that concluded last week’s column were spoken by Winston Churchill in October, 1940.

Looking for a quote this week about our flag, I found one on a bumper sticker. It said “These colors don’t run,” and showed a likeness of our flag.