EDITORIAL: Now begins the healing process

We need to mourn and we need to help

   This spot usually is reserved for our take on local issues, whether they be zoning board decisions, the rise or decline in crime or larger, state-level matters.
   And on any other week, we might have focused on these kinds of issues.
   We can’t this week. The attacks that racked the nation cut too close. The attack on the Twin Towers and the Pentagon that shocked and saddened the nation is a story with national and international scope.
   But it also is local, affecting everyone in some way. At least one Cranbury man died; others from the area are still missing. Many of us know someone who lives or works in the city; others watched the carnage on television, horrified by the images. All were affected.
   The face of America changed Tuesday morning when two hijacked planes crashed into the World Trade Center towers in Manhattan’s financial district, a third crashed into the Pentagon in Arlington, Va., and a fourth crashed just outside of Pittsburgh. The towers, so much a symbol of America’s eternal optimism, later collapsed along with a third building at the World Trade Center complex. The loss of life could be in the thousands.
   There is a federal state of emergency. Area police departments and rescue squads have been mobilized, with some dispatched to New York to help with rescue efforts.
   Hospitals are asking for donations of blood, which will be sent to one of several triage centers and hospitals helping to treat the victims.
   Roads are blocked, the Internet is slow and phone lines across the country are clogged with calls.
   There are people who can’t go to work because their place of employment is no longer there or because much of southern Manhattan remains closed.
   And most importantly, there are people in here and throughout New Jersey waiting at home for phones to ring with news of loved ones who were in the building.
   What makes the situation most difficult is the sense of helplessness that comes with watching such a devastating event. There seems little we can do other than to wait and watch and see what happens next.
   It is important to remember, however, that there are many things we can and should do and that even the smallest of acts will help.
   • Call the Red Cross and ask to volunteer or donate blood. Given the number of injured, blood is in high demand and most area hospitals are able to take it, and see that it gets to the city. The Medical Center at Princeton currently is seeking O positive and O negative blood types and other organizations are holding blood drives.
   • Donate food, clothing or other supplies. Police and emergency workers are working long hours and donations are being accepted at Battery Park in lower Manhattan. Call your local church or social service agency to see how to help.
   • Join with community members at a prayer vigil like those being held at numerous churches in the area.
   • Call a neighbor, or someone you know with loved ones working in the city. Sit with them if they need it and be there for support.
   These small gestures can make a real difference in the lives of our neighbors and friends and just might help us with the grieving process.