In the Silence

[Editor's Note: The following was written by Billii Roberti, with Dr. Rick's permission.]

In the vast, noisy silence that followed the collapse of the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center in New York City, Dr. Rick created his own silent world of healing. This silence stood in stark contrast to the unending clamor and chatter on the street and in the media.

For a month his usually lively and energetic office was subdued in respect for those lost, and focused on healing through silence. In the silence our fears are voiceless, so we cannot feed them in ourselves or seed fear in others who are in their calm strength. In the silence we can calm the busyness of our minds and find peace. The silence allowed his patients to feel the full magnitude of the event and to ponder its far-reaching effects.

Unbeknownst to many, Dr. Rick was not only treating the multitude of regular patients that filled his office in the aftermath, he was also making his way down to Ground Zero to support and treat the rescue workers in their grim task. He has spoken to few about his experiences there, yet he is one of the unknown and unsung heroes still dealing with the long process of recovery and clean up.
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For this reason, his column about recent events is not ready. Although he has a strong desire to communicate with his readers, his priority is on his office and Ground Zero patients. When his column is ready it will appear here.

In closing, here are a few quotes Dr. Rick has posted in his office:

We will never participate in the promises of the future if we allow ourselves to be held captive by the pain of the past. --Byrd Baggett

When I despair, I remember that through all history the ways of truth and love have always won. There have been tyrants and murderers and for a time they can seem invincible, but in the end they always fall. Think about it... --Mahatma Mohandas Gandhi

Your life begins to end when you become silent about the things that matter most. --Martin Luther King, Jr.

'Tis curious that we only live as deeply as we believe. --Ralph Waldo Emerson