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is a piece of Tangible Hope? It is a ribbon segment, made of a double layer of sturdy fabric (like muslin), with reinforced, hemmed edges, to form an rectangle measuring 18" x 36" (46 cm x 92 cm). Onto each corner is sewn an 8" (20 cm) long sturdy strip of fabric, with which to tie to another ribbon segment. Any fabric medium can be used as long as it will not fray, fade or tear. On this fabric we place images and symbols of what we hold most dear to us, those things that we cannot bear to think of as lost forever. These images or symbols may be drawn, appliqued, painted, woven, stitched, silk screened, quilted, embroidered, batiqued, - whatever process gives us a way to work through our fears, our frustration, or our pain, with any medium that won't fade or bleed.
WHY In these soul searching times, as the United States seems determined to meet the threat of terrorism with violence, we need to offer ourselves and others an opportunity to move beyond despair and rage. When the morning's headlines are more than we can deal with, when the evening's news leaves us in shadows, we can hold on to fabric and create a Ribbon piece that is literally Tangible Hope. All will be works of heart. Some will be works of art. All help bring the Peace.
WHERE Creating these pieces of Tangible Hope alone, or with others, in our homes, or in our community or church centers, will sustain us until we can literally embrace the World Trade Center in New York City and other symbols around the Earth. It will take time to create such a lovely winding cloth. Perhaps in the early years of this quiet quest for Peace, local churches, temples, shrines, mosques could be embraced on the anniversaries of September 11, 2001.
WHEN The individual process of creating Tangible Hope starts with the making of a ribbon segment. The power of sharing our hopes with each other and our communities might begin in 2002, when such symbols of the yearning for forgiveness, reconciliation and hope are shared in neighborhoods and organizations. In 2003, perhaps a county seat or village might draw us. 2004, the regional state capital and in 2005 surely there would be enough prayers, good thoughts, pieces of Tangible Hope to embrace the site of the World Trade Towers with one end going to an Islamic Shrine and the other around the United Nations. On such a day, Tangible Hope might be present in towns, cities, and nations around the globe. WHO is organizing this? Right now, the idea is just to share a way to create Tangible Hope in our hearts and in our hands, in our living rooms and community rooms. Anyone is free to take the idea and build local individual or community action around it. There is no organization with rules about how it is supposed to work, nor resources to help make it happen, only individual volunteers who believe in the power of Tangible Hope.
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