AS an American living near Beaconsfield, I wanted to express my gratitude to the South Bucks area in the wake of the disasters in New York and Washington DC.

At a time when I felt very far from home, all of the people in my neighbourhood and community, through their genuine concern and kindness, have made me feel less far away.

Every cloud has a silver lining, even the clouds of smoke expelled from the World Trade Center and Pentagon.

On September 11 the hundreds of acts of courage, compassion and co-operation exhibited by the innocent victims and survivors under the worst of circumstances far outnumbered the few, though horrific, acts of cowardice carried out by the terrorists.

The kindness sympathy and support shown to the Americans here in the UK with such emotion and depth of feeling continue to be a comfort as we all try to make sense out of the senseless.

Kelly Roth

(Address supplied)