Love Soothes Fright
By Sister Tzu-Guan Young, Commissioner,
New York Branch Office
Every Friday, I have been to the NYC Family Assistance Center
to conduct interviews. A very deep impression I had was a
Hispanic girl coming to the Tzu Chi Distribution Station with
her mother. She told me when the terrorist attack occurred
she was in the bathroom. Her back was hit by something and
was injured. She didn't even have time to fix up her clothing
and rushed down from the 52nd floor for her life.
This past month, she has been hiding
inside her home, where she either wept or hated. Her mother
had to take her to the doctor. That day, when she came to
our station, she still could not hold back from crying. Later,
after accepting our relief assistance and receiving the consolations
of our brothers and sisters, she said that she discovered
there are still very good people in this world. In the past,
she did not expect others to help her, to believe her, or
to give her support, whether financial or emotional. Now she
felt that she had been wrong in her thinking. She should not
carry hatred in her mind anymore. She asked me if she could
also become a Tzu Chi volunteer. Before she went away, she
took with her some introductory and informational material
on Tzu Chi; this act moved me very much.
Also, after September 11th, I have
come to realize that my husband had been silently helping
me by taking up many household chores. Everyday after I return
from Pier 94, I would share with him some touching stories
of these victims' families, which also moved him deeply. Perhaps
seeing that I was so busy with the relief efforts, he voluntarily
helped with household chores so that I felt even more affection
and cherish even more the bond within our family.
