Sept 11th

[Kelley]

Potioncat:
> Oh, I had the luck to catalogue Sep ll itself!  Admin set up a 
> thread asking for members to check in, and several posts were made 
> just to encourage those members who lived in the crash-site areas.  
> The group also set up a chat for members to talk. Very moving, I 
> must say, even several years later. (I wasn't a member then, but 
> was in the DC area.)
> 
> You can see that while none of really know each other, there is a 
> real atmosphere of friendship and caring...

Your comments sent me back through those posts, Potioncat; I haven't 
looked through them in a very long time.  Can recall it all so 
vividly reading these...I remember how much time Sheryll, Christian 
(in Norway), John and Amy and others spent in chat that week...

For whatever reasons, I ended up being the welcome elf for nearly 
everyone who joined the group that month (from Sept 5 onward) and on 
the 12th added some comments to the start of my welcome message:

***
First, I would like to make some short comments addressing how the
tragedy that has befallen not only America, but our entire world, has
affected the HPfGUs list. I apologize for the length of this email,
but please continue to read, as following those comments is my
personal list elf welcome to you...

As we all face this tragic time, you may notice some discussion on
the main list about the horrific events in NYC and DC. The Moderator
group is hoping that we may soon resume canon discussion on the main
list, in the desire to have a return to normalcy and to have a place
that can be a respite from the horrors in our lives. At the moment
we understand that all our members need to feel a sense of community,
and wish to express their sympathy and support for one another.
Please bear with our group and be assured that discussion will soon
return to canon topics; understandably, we do not wish anyone to
feel 'rushed' through their grief, and this is something we will all
need to work through for a long time to come. Also note that many
are discussing these real world events on OT Chatter, and of course,
this discussion will be 'on topic' in that group in perpetuity.

"It is my belief---and never have I so hoped that I am mistaken---
that we are all facing dark and difficult times... ...I say to you
all---we are only as strong as we are united, as weak as we are
divided..." ---Albus Dumbledore, GoF

With love and hope for us all,

Kelley Thompson, List Elf 
***

Received a lot of lovely and touching responses to that...

--Kelley