9/11 - Grieving
Henry here. I have been talking about the stages of crisis and how they relate to the terrorists attack on 9/11. The first stage is shock, when we are overwhelmed by anxiety and feelings of helplessness. The second is denial when we attempt to maintain old ways and avoid the reality. The third stage is acknowledgment.
This is the stage which we all recognize as grieving. I remember after 9/11 traveling on the subway on the way to Staten Island when we passed the World Trade site. Everyone stopped talking, some crossed themselves, and others clearly were in prayer. The train was in mourning.
Acknowledgment is when we have to give up old structures. Facts impose themselves. This is often accompanied with depression, bitterness, mourning, and high anxiety. During this time we go through a period of disorganizing and reorganization in terms of the changed reality. How long this takes depends on how deep the crisis is. Clearly in relation to 9/11 some, people will never get beyond mourning, as they lost too much to carry on life normally.
Erecting memorial to that day is an important symbolic act. It will give people a place to focus some of the grief and hope.