What the world needs now

We mourn as one

Paris

Beirut

Over this past weekend, terrorist attack Paris and Beirut. Killing some, injuring many and spreading fear and chaos. Many lives were lost and many more are irrevocably changed by the events. In times like these it is difficult to process this level of violence. The fear that comes along with the attacks, the feeling of vulnerability, the grief. What does one say or do in the face of feeling so powerless?

As people began to change their Facebook pages to the French flag and the hasttag #prayforparis sprung up on social media, I unfortunately witnessed plenty of comments from people referring to these things and meaningless gestures, "slacktivism", and pandering.

We stand as one

That ugliness isn't the part of the story that I want to focus on however. What I choose to see is the level of human decency and compassion in times like this. Every French flag was a person, grieving and mourning the loss of human life. Separated by language, culture, race, a nation, yet we still feel as one. Watching the news and reading the stories about what happened, I cried for my brothers and sisters I never met and will probably never meet.

When events like this happen we are often reminded that it isn't what separates us that is important but what unites us. In the days and weeks to come, there will be plenty of things that will happen. Politicians will use what happened to advance their agendas. We will debate the merits of everything from taking in refugees to how much should we get involved in the war against ISIS and in what way.

But right now in this moment, what is most important is that our thoughts, our prayers, our well wishes and whatever aid we can send, be spent on the victims of the attack. Those who lost their lives and those who lost loved ones. As these respective nations over come the shock and devastation of these events, and eventually begin the slow move toward healing, I would urge us all to keep our minds on what is truly important during this time.

#prayforparis

#prayforbeirut