{This is not my usual blog post but I’m still trying to get my head round today’s news and needed a place to vent my thoughts, I hope you don’t mind}
This morning I woke up still groggy from traveling over the past few days and did what most people do within seconds of opening their eyes – check their social media. As I tapped on my Facebook app I felt my stomach do that sadly all too familiar clench as I saw I had a safety notification. A girl I’d met when I was backpacking around South America had marked herself as safe during the Brussels Attacks.
Sitting up and feeling relieved that she was ok but really confused as to what had gone on whilst I’d been safely sleeping I read the news of the suspected suicide bombings killing over 34 people at an airport check-in hall and metro station.
I felt this deep anger that swirled with a clenching sadness at the thought of those poor innocent people, how they must have felt during their last minutes and seconds. How their families, loved ones and the people of this beautiful country are now left to pick up the pieces. How their lives will never be the same again because of the horrific actions of a small but terrifying group of people.
Life is short enough without the fear of being in the wrong place at the wrong time.
None of us are truly safe, not even in our own homes, but when terrorist attacks, natural disasters or even terrible accidents happen so close to home to people just like you and I, it feels even more real.
The images and stories we see on a daily basis from warzones have become like a background noise, these nameless strangers living in atrocious conditions in camps or under the threat of war shock you but as soon as the TV gets switched off they vanish along with the white noise.
It is a sad fact of life that we relate to those most like us. I guess this is why the Paris attacks in November hit the western world so powerfully. You and I could have been in that restaurant that night, we could have had tickets to see your fave band perform and we could have agreed to meet at a bar on one of the ill-fated streets.
When fear comes to your doorstep it is harder to ignore.
I wish we didn’t have to relate to anything as awful as this, that bad things didn’t happen to good and innocent people and that everyone on this planet would get along in harmony, but it doesn’t work like this. I guess the only thing we can do is not to let the actions of a few affect the way the majority live our lives. We must remain defiant, stand taller and jut out our bottom lip in bravery.
We must do this for the people who are no longer here and not let them win. #Prayforbrussels #Prayfortheworld
{Image credit here}
