My High School friend Aleida has been living in Spain for a while now. She sends emails every now and then just to say how things are going - I hope she doesn't mind, I found these words...well, you'll see.

The bombings in Madrid were the first to put a face on my "false sense of security." I still have no words to put to this tragedy. Painfull just doesn't reach deep enough. March 11th unfolded much like my September 11th. Instantly I felt a painful aching that this world is turning into a sega game. It's so easy to destroy and move on. This doesn't exclude any country or state I have lived in. More and more I've seen just how fragile and precious life is, or at least should be.

The demonstrations following the bombings were by far the most charging, inspiring, and chilling I have ever cooperated in. 1.5 million people were marching in Barcelona. It was the biggest demonstration in Catalunya ever. Never before has the saying, "silence is deafening," been so true. At a time when most people would sit at home and think of trying to be safe, trying to collect their thoughts and things, when in the end, being at home, saying nothing...living life unmotivated to change our future.....has no effect. Instead we marched the next day. We collected ourselves in masses, a prime opportunity for another attack is what most people would think. But instead of letting that terror hold us back we raised our hands to stop the war. We chanted. We were silent. And if anything it changed me. I am so glad my friend Jamie was with me during that time. I can't imagine experiencing that alone.

My thoughts and prayers are with you Aleida.