At 88,Joseph Slicker thought life could teach him no more than what he already knew. But after spending 44 hours holed up with his son John in their Oberoi room during 26/11 attacks,Slicker realised that life had many more lessons in store for him. Almost 90 now,Slicker has come all the way from his hometown Dallas,Texas,to Mumbai two years after the attacks. Despite his old age and the fact that he can hardly walk,the need to honour the 26/11 experience and bring it to a closure brings him back in to the city and stay in the same hotel again. This time around,he and his son have brought along five other members of their family who will together celebrate his 90th birthday in India on December 1. Joseph and John are just two amongst the many Americans who have come back to commemorate the second anniversary of the attacks. Charles Cannon,spiritual leader of a group of Americans who were in India on a spiritual retreat two years back has also come back. After taking a stand to forgive the terrorists involved in the killing operations,Cannon wishes to meet Kasab and talk to him about compassion and sacredness of life. I read in the papers today that Kasab believes he is reaping what he sowed. This shows that he feels guilty and that he was duped into leading a life of hatred. I have requested Indian authorities to let us meet him but the ongoing legal processes are making it difficult, he said. Meanwhile,other members of the group could not help recollect their experiences as they walked down the passageways of the Oberoi-Trident. Carol Wise,a resident of Virginia,who spent 25 hours holed up in the garage of Oberoi,sits unperturbed in a room at the refurbished Trident along with Australian friend Phyl Graham who had stayed put in her hotel room for 48 hours,as both recount their horror tales and tell how it feels to be back in the city after two years to spread the word of their spiritual guru. Carol,Phyl,Miriam Broder and Bonnie Sullivan,are four of the nine members of the Synchronicity Foundation,who have come back to the city along founder of One Life Alliance and fellow member Kia Scherr. Scherr,who had lost her husband Allan and daughter Naomi in the attacks in Trident,went back to Virginia and formed the One Life Alliance. Scherr said though the attacks took away two family members,it also made her realise the sacredness and value of life. I thus launched a new organization honoring the sacredness of all life and the power of forgiveness as a means of inspiring and encouraging peace and unity in the world. We are here to spread this word, said Scherr. We sat quietly in our rooms and when there was no firing,a creepy silence lingered on. As I started meditating,I felt the fear leave my body. After more than 20 hours,we were escorted out of the building by the staff and we climbed down endless flights of stairs. There was so much dust and smoke that by the way I got out of the hotel,I was covered in soot. I always knew that I will come back to this place, said Australian resident Miriam. The group would hold a talk by Charles Cannon about peace and forgiveness for political leaders,vice chancellor of Mumbai University,sheriff of Mumbai etc on November 26.
