“Fear is useless. What is needed is trust.”Mark 5:36

Have you seen the commercial that begins by asking, “Do you feel tense all the time? Are you having difficulty sleeping? If these symptoms persist, you may be depressed.”

This particular advertisement runs during commercial breaks on the nightly news and I want to shout “Hey, are you conscious? Have you been paying attention at all?”

We’re told that prescriptions for anti-depressants have been filled at an astounding rate in recent weeks. We Americans like a quick fix but Prozac isn’t going to solve our current problems in the long term. In fact it doesn’t look as though there’s a pill or a missile that can make everything go back to the way life was before Sept. 11.

Out of all proportion to the threat, many of us are afraid to open our mail for fear of contracting anthrax. The threat is genuine but it’s likely small for most of us. Still, we’re afraid.

The events of Sept. 11 and the subsequent fallout just don’t compute. We’ve experienced a seismic shift in our sense of security on a national and personal level. Used to a measure of control, we can’t fathom a situation with so many unknowns. Questions of who is doing these terrible acts and what will be next and why anyone would want to inflict so much hurt anyway leave us all feeling tense, and yes, depressed.

There are no easy answers or magic pills but we might find some means to deal with our uncertainty by observing how those among us who are powerless cope. Children and the disabled, the aged, and the poor, all know what it feels like to be on the receiving end of power. For the humble it all comes down to small things.

We all need to take some time to be sad and to talk about it with someone who truly cares. Even little children know when they want to talk about something or ask a question and they always know if you’re willing to really listen. The length and breadth of what we have all lost is almost too much to absorb. Sadness is a legitimate response to life right now.

It’s important to voice our fears. We can say them right out loud and realize that it’s OK to be afraid. Even if they’re absurd, our feelings are real and they belong to us. We can’t face our fears if we’re unable to speak of them. An atmosphere of terror exists when we don’t know what to do but knowledge gives us a handle on our fear.

We come to grips with the reality of it by assessing the genuine risks. Remember what it was like learning to ride a bike or swim? There turned out to be ways to avoid riding off cliffs and being attacked by sharks. In a very real way the world hasn’t changed. It’s just that we’re all aware now of how fragile our blessed existence is.

The powerless can show us how to move forward too. When the illusion of control and mastery are swept away we appreciate the importance of every small act. Everyday existence is the only reality we have. Moment by moment we get to make a difference.

We can consciously decide to add a measure of goodness to each day. First, we can acknowledge our dependence on God and resolve to thank him for life. Then we can make sure that each day we do something practical for someone else. Little things count. Make a meal, hold a door, smile, say “I love you,” be polite, ask someone sincerely, “How are you?”

Say a prayer for your fellow commuters, for your family, for our enemies. Pray for us all.