I’ve been thinking all weekend about what kind of post I wanted to write. At first I thought about writing about the anger that I felt when I heard the news, or the sadness and grief that I still feel, but in the end I realized that the most important emotion for me to hold on to was a feeling of hope for the future.

 

It’s easy to feel angry or sad or scared. Sometimes it isn’t as easy to feel love or peace in the face of such horribly violent acts. I spoke to my father on Friday and he said something to me that helped me to cut through those feelings of anguish: “Always remember that there will always be more good than bad in this world”. He reminded me that it’s important that in these times of darkness, we do not forget the foundations of our humanity. In a way, it’s good to feel grief and sadness over the loss of our fellow humans. It reminds us that we aren’t completely desensitized to the violence that can happen in the world. It reminds us that we care.

 

I think that far too often we get stuck on arguing our opinions about if and how we should retaliate whenever senseless acts of violence rock our world. I have decided to recuse myself from that discussion and leave it up to the people in charge, for now. So instead of opening the door to a political or moral debate, I have chosen to send out into the universe some peace that I believe this world is in desperate need of.

 

As many of you already know, I studied abroad in Paris when I was in college. It was the most enchanting experience of my life thus far. I absolutely fell in love with the vibrancy of Paris and its inhabitants. It was an absolute dream come to life. I know that there will always be a special place in my heart for the enchanting city of lights and all of the people who illuminate it. And so, to my French copains, I extend my deepest sympathies and condolences. As an American, I am proud to stand by you in your time of need just as you have stood by America throughout history in our times of need and revolution.

 

While Paris has been the closest hit to home in recent memory, do not forget the innocent people living in the countries that these terrorists call home. They have to either live with the terror or make an attempt to flee into a world that is quick to condemn them.

 

The take away that I would like to highlight is this simple message: We are all human. We all bleed and we all feel. We are all mothers, fathers, daughters, sons, sisters, brothers, neighbors, and friends. When it seems like there is so much hate to overcome in this world, remember the wisdom imparted to me by my father; the good in this world will always outweigh the bad.

 

– Hazel

 

Photo © 2015 Hazel Arroyo