Your Weekly Townsend Fix Column 13

Hi everyone.

Strong: (Adj.) [L. Stringere-to bind tight.] Having moral or intellectual power.

Inspiring: (Adj.) Having an animating or exalting effect.

Caring: (Adj.) 1: To feel interest or concern. 2: To give care.

Warm: (Adj.) 1: To infuse with a feeling of love, friendship, or well-being. 2: To become filled with affection or love.

Comforting: (Adj.) [L. com-+fortis=strong] 1: Strengthening aid A) assistance support B) consolation in a time of trouble or worry: SOLACE. 2: A) A feeling of relief or encouragement. B) to bring comfort 3: To give strength A) To give hope to 4: To ease grief or trouble to: CONSOLE

Saftey: (N.) 1: The condition of being safe from undergoing or causing hurt, injury, or loss. 2: To protect against failure, breakage.

You will learn why I have put these words from the dictionary at the beginning, and soon they will have meaning to you.

I have few motivations to write this weekend, so pardon me if my sense of humor isn't present. But I write this week as a "Special Edition" column to honor a very special person and to hope that you share your feelings on this message board. My reason for writing is all in the column below. I pray that none of you reading this have family or friends in New York, or in any of the planes that were hijacked. I had another column prepared and will release it at another time. I'll be honest, I'm saddened, confused, angry, worried, but at the same time proud to be an American. Sad because of the lives lost, peope missing, and the family and friends who don't know what has happened to their loved ones. Confused because I don't understand how someone in their right mind would do something so horrible. Angry because I'm angry that such horrible terrorists could be so cowardly to take down innocent people with families, wives, husbands, and children, a life. Worried because I'm worried for our saftey. Naturally, I have an imagination that can wander, it's not helping at times like this.

More than anything I'm proud to be an American. I have never seen so many diversity barriers broken to unite as a nation to get through this crisis together. I feel proud when I drive all over the city and see flags hanging outside of houses, people wearing red, white, and blue and seeing candles lit outside of churches, temples, and homes. I feel truly like I live in a nation without barriers holding me back from being a united nation.

The turn of events have also made me re-evaluate a lot in my life and be grateful for all I have. I have thought so much how little things can effect my tomorrow. I have grown accustomed to thinking, "I'll see mom and dad after school." What if, God forbid, that doesn't happen. Can you imagine how many parents worked at the World Trade Center or were on one of the planes? Imagine the pain the children must be going through right now. I have a greater appreciation for life and have not taken anything for granted. I have also become grateful for a lot in my life. I have a family who loves me. Though sometimes I don't realize it as much as I should, my family is all I that I love. I don't do a lot without them, they are my supports, and best friends. I couldn't do anything without their support. My grandparents have instilled so much into me in little and huge ways, my parents teaching me everything I believe in, a little sister who is my best friend, and cousins, aunts and uncles that look out for me no matter where we are. Teaching me so much, if I didn't have this family I would be me, I wouldn't be anybody. Can you believe that it was just last week the world was normal? That we were normal? We have turned to people who felt secure in their homes and walking on the streets of our home towns to being scared of our security and what we will wake up to tomorrow on the news. What happened to the world we knew and the people that we see everyday? We have all turned to scared people, as much as some people won't admit it, we're ALL scared. I am too. I wish I could tell you that tomorrow that the world is normal again and that there aren't 50,000 people hurt, missing, or dead with 50,000 families mourning and worrying. I wish I could tell you tomorrow that planes will be taking people to their destinations and the only thing that the passengers are worrying about is missing their flight. I wish I could tell you tomorrow that our country isn't a disaster and that the only thing the nation is worrying about is George Bush's next speech as we pray to God he doesn't use improper grammar or mispronounce a foreign leader's name. The fact and honest truth, I can't. I can't tell you any of those things, we're in a state of crisis and sadness all rolled in togther. That turns a lot into anger, I'm not going to sit here and preach to you what our country should and shouldn't do. Besides, what do I know anyways? I'm a sophmore in high school who still has yet to actually date a guy who still laughs in health class. Please remember that Holly and Myself are here for all of you to talk to whenever you want. You can reach us at our emails or IM us (TrueBluGrl637@a... & KNRinSF@a...).

What I do want to say is that as I sit here and watch the catastrophic events on television, I wish more and more that things didn't have to the way it was. I worry very much about family who lives on the East Coast. I worry about their saftey and can only pray I will see them next Christmas. I do want to ask a huge favor of you all. I hope that you will keep the victims and families of those missing, lost, or hurt in the recent events in your prayers, the fire and police department, the city of NYC, and our nation in your prayers. I would also ask that you keep the rescue teams from the Bay Area in your prayers. Our very own TRex will be deployed to NY within the next couple of weeks. This is one of my few reasons for actually writing the column this week

In fact. This column IS in honor of Bob Dolci. He practically IS Townsend, I think if the guys were to recruit a new member, you'd have Rye, Dom, Nick, Todd, Matt, & Trex. It's actually got a nice look to it. Seriously though, Bob is beyond an incredible person in every sense of the word "incredible." With an amazing wife, daughter, and son, he's literally Superman. Super-dad, Super-Husband, Super-DART-Supervisor, Super-Pops (yes there's a difference), Super-NASA worker, Super-Manager, Super EVERYTHING. If there's any guy we should all look up to it's Bob. He juggles so many things I'm surprised that it hasn't affected him. If I could word perfectly exactly how special Bob is...I would. It's hard though, Bob's not a simple guy with a simple life. And I mean that in the most right way possible. When I say he's not simple I'm not implying he's a complicated, stubborn guy. (That's the description of the Dean at school.) I mean it in the sense he's got so many things in the air that he's always keeping things up there. Hasn't "dropped the ball." I honestly don't think he ever will. In fact, I really don't think he's capable of it. Only because he's one of the most together guys there is. Maybe it has to do with the whole NASA thing and being meticulous. (Sorry bad spelling...it's been a long couple of days.) But I want to have you all know that Bob is furthering his "Super" list of titles. A column has been written about all five of the Townsend guys...now let's honor the guy who's behind the scenes... Wow, a lot's been said in that last paragraph and well that's it...haha just kidding...there's a lot of things to say about Bob but I'm sure you'll be hearing about him more from me throughout the columns...he and Wendy have been mentioned before haven't they? What makes you think I'm going to stop here? It's not like the Spice Girls...people like this just don't disappear...their personalities, smiles, and actions linger forever.

Bob, wow, there's a lot of meaning behind that name for me. One, it's the name of my actual dad, (well, Robert, but Will is Bill...get it?) and that's special. I mean I'm such a "daddy's girl" that it's like I'm 5. If I'm walking down the street with my family, I'm next to dad, if I'm trusting anyone with my well-being, it's my daddy, if I'm going somewhere I'm scared of going, I'm taking my daddy. That's just how it is. In my eyes, "dad" is strong, inspiring caring, warm, comforting, and saftey. And Bob (Dolci) is to me "Pops." I've adopted him as a second dad, and I do look at him as Bob (Ramos, my Biological dad). Strong, inspiring, caring, warm, comforting, and saftey. So, recognize the words? I can't remember the first time he emailed me, it was earlier this year but I remember thinking that his mannerism made me feel like I had known him my entire life. He's a special guy with special qualities that I hope a number of us had taken notice of. I started to write this column last Sunday before the crisis talking about stuff that now, is unimportant. I started to write this column about Bob Friday night. Today I saw his column and felt an even bigger need to make sure that this column was clear and had what I want to say in it.

Did you read his Insider's Column this week? I cried. Honestly, I'm not one for crying at all. I HATE to have people see me cry, I'm not scared of my eye make-up running but more scared of appearing weak. I have learned it's ok to cry though this past summer but still don't like doing it unless there's a good reason to. This column was a real reason to cry. It was touching to hear Bob talk about going to the Murrah building and all that happened. (I don't want to spoil it in case you haven't read it yet.) But there was one part, well one of a couple parts, that got to me. The one where the floor gave out and he almost was punctured by steel rods. It gave me a feeling of relief. I didn't know Bob back then but when I think of what life would be like without "Pops." I feel like a part of me is missing. I think to all of us "TREX" has become a part of us you know? He's naturally become a role-model to a lot of us, sometimes without us knowing it. I'm relieved that Bob is here in my life because he's blessed me with a lot. He's blessed my family greatly. I won't go into the tiny little details because instead of a column which is already getting quite long, you'll get a novel.

I worry about Bob who will be deployed to NY to the wreckage. God forbid anything happens to him. He's inspiring, I know that he wanted to go to NY right away but couldn't. He told me of his dismay and how he was sad he couldn't go. That to me was one of the most heroic things I have ever heard. I don't know if I or anyone else would have the guts to go into unsteady ground and save people and recover lost loved ones. I don't know if I could even muster up to get on the plane at this point. It was so selfless, heroic, patriotic, and inspiring. It filled me with a major sense of security that Bob and people like Bob are doing this. It reassures me that there ARE good people out there. This past week I have seen more flags than I have ever seen in my entire life. I haven't seen our community come so together as it is now. It's sad that it took such a catastrophe to happen, but at least it did. Bob is a major contributor to my patriotic and inspiration. There are more words I could add to the list at the beginning but it would be quite long. To think that anything, and I mean ANYTHING can happen in NYC and Bob still wants to go is such a boost of morale for me. It reminds me of all the "little things" that I have re-evaluated and things that we do everyday. I can think of examples, but you all know what it's like to think of yourself. If you don't, sorry buddy, you're not human. And have you noticed how Bob seems less furious about the events than a lot of us do? I'm sure all of us are in a sense, angry. If we weren't angry, our hearts would be made of stone. Bob's got such a big heart and I want all of you to pray for him and his teammates. Pops, if you're reading this, please be careful, you've got my prayers, best wishes, and my thoughts. You mean the world to all of us and want you to be safe.

That's all for now. Take care of all of yourselves. Tell your family how much you love them and God Bless America. Remember, there can be miracles, only if there are angels. Bob is one of many amongst us and to keep him in your prayers and thoughts.

Love Always,
Kristen

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