In Memory of Sweet Alicia N. Titus

June 14, 2011

Dear Friends of Alicia,

It has been awhile since I posted on Alicia’s website but I would like to express my deep gratitude for all of you who have continued to stay connected. I am so grateful to the founders of this website Paula, Lyndsay and a special thanks to Denise for maintaining it. Over the years this has helped us tremendously to deal with the monumental loss of our daughter, sister and friend to all. Alicia was and is such a beautiful soul whose purpose in life was to bring out the love, the joy and the beauty that is so much a part of life. Alicia knew the secret to finding these qualities in everyone she met along her journey. If more people in our world lived their lives with such grace and joyousness we would have no more wars! Those of us who have been touched by Alicia and have experienced one of her incredible hugs, or felt the joy in her laughter, or had a true heart to heart talk with her, or allowed her warm heart to join with ours know what I’m saying. We must be the ones who spread this message of love, peace, joy and understanding to those around us. We must carry the torch of hope and inspiration. God knows, our world really needs it!

On another note I wanted to announce the publication of my book which will be coming out in early September entitled, “Losing Alicia: A Father’s Journey after 9/11”. This has been a long time in the making and an agonizing journey of grief, through the mire of politics, wars, injustice and social unrest. Our world is in a state of flux; our future seems destined for more of the same; terrorism is at an all time high; the politicians and the warmongers somehow believe we can battle our way to peace; injustice, torture, world poverty, hatred and prejudice are on the rise and a prevailing sense of doom and gloom seems everywhere. Yet, one of the blessings I have been given in the midst of all of this hopelessness is a greater compassion, new hope for a brighter tomorrow, keener insight and understanding with an ever-growing love in my heart. Perhaps, “those who have endured suffering have a greater respect for joy… And those who've lived their lives in a heart numbing cocoon of sanity, safety, and contentment don't have the capacity for pure joy”, as Alicia so aptly put it.

Each of us must be fully engaged in life, giving freely of our talents, our love and understanding, seeing ourselves in relation to all of life. We are, after all, like the cells of a body, dependent upon one another for the optimal functioning of the whole and what we do for or against another affects us in ways untold. Let us join together, in the spirit of Alicia, to change the world as we would hope it could be.

Blessings and Peace,

John

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