Hi guys,
I have wanted to write a post like this for a while. I have wanted to write one after the tragedy that happened in Romania, I started it, but then I never posted it. Now, I wondered for a while if I will actually post it this time, but then I decided that I should.
I am writing this post with everyone affected by any of these recent tragedies on my mind. And by that I mean everyone that died, everyone that survived, their families, friends, the medical staff that helped them and the list goes on and ends with me and you. Because I can bet you have been affected by this. Or at least I know I have been. More than I thought I would have been.
Of course, tragedies like these affect you. But this time, it got me thinking. And feeling. Feeling for every innocent life that ended all of a sudden. In Bucharest, in Paris, in Beirut, in Baghdad, in Japan, in all those countries that have tragedies that never reach the media and in all those households that were tear apart by something as awful as this.
I have been going through a lot of feelings. I have been shocked, I have felt compassion and I have cried.
I was on the phone with my friend when the tragedy happened in Paris and she told me to check the news. I did. And I was so shocked that I couldn’t sleep and I would refresh the page constantly to see updates. However, the more I was looking, the sadder I got. I eventually went to bed thinking about all those innocent people who went for a coffee, or for dinner, or to enjoy a concert or to watch a football match. And then I was thinking that I am also doing all these things. And that one would never think about being shot while enjoying any of these things. Because it’s not human nature. Because you are not expecting this. And then I was thinking when did we get to believe that we have the right to take someone else’s life? When did we reach this point where we can decide who stays alive and who dies? Aren’t we all equal humans, without any extra rights upon each other’s faiths?
I woke up hearing about the tragedies in Beirut and Baghdad. And I got even sadder. Same questions were crossing my mind again. I stayed as updated as I could, reading news, watching videos, testimonials, everything.
And yes, I do believe that sharing our feelings for Paris and not expressing any sadness over what happened in Beirut and Baghdad is not alright. I do believe that we should care about each and every innocent human being that loses their life in a tragedy like any of these ones.
I am glad people spoke up about it and started spreading news related to all tragedies and not just Paris. However, what I didn’t like, was people turning against each other, and hating on one another for “changing their profile picture” or for only using the hashtag #prayforParis. Instead of hating on them, you can inform them. Because probably most of them have not heard about the other tragedies because they have not had as much coverage as the Paris news. Should they have had more? Absolutely. But instead of hating on people and bullying them, choose to educate them and show them more than one perspective.
The major reason why I usually don’t say a lot on stuff like these is not because “I don’t want to speak up” as I heard a lot of people saying about others, it is because I do not want to say stuff before being well-informed. It is well-known that not all sources are trustworthy and not all sources share the truth. So, why make a statement that I am not sure of? Why share an article that I do not understand fully because I am not well-informed? Just so that I can get the thumbs up from people for talking on a matter that is “trending”? I would rather read more and speak up when I actually possess the information to have a conversation on that matter.
On that same note, I condemn generalisation. Leaving apart the fact that we are all different human beings and that we have different beliefs and values, beliefs that are even different from people who are from the same country, believing in a religion is a very personal thing. We all believe differently. We all perceive it differently. So to blame every single person of the same religion as the people who caused these tragedies is just wrong.
There are people amongst them that condemn their acts, which is also a reason why so many had no choice but to leave their life and country in hope that they could live in peace somewhere else. So to point at a whole community for the acts of people who took it to extremes is not a solution.
I always believed extremes are wrong in every situation. Too much of something can make you close minded and deny you the privilege to observe alternative paths. Of course, it does not justify acts that harm people’s lives.
To be honest, I am still shocked. I have always been the person to see the good in people, and to believe that there is good in everyone. And to see that people have gone that far to kill others to prove a point leaves me speechless.
You would think that in the times we live something like that would not be happening. And still, it does. What a shame. Because in between this back and forward point proving innocent people die, beautiful places disappear, the glances of hope in people’s eyes cease to exist and so we will end up feeling emptier than we ever did.
I am a really open-minded person and I have asked everyone that surrounded me to tell me their opinion on these facts and I have listened to anyone who wanted to share theirs and I admit it all leaves me confused and gutted that there is nothing that I, as an individual, can do to help prevent acts like these.
Why can’t we all just live in peace and accept one another just the way we are – with our beliefs, habits and cultures. That way we would just have a beautiful diversity with great things to be learned from each culture. Killing will not make you believe in something different, just like killing one of the killers will not make them believe that they should stop.
So the saddest thing is that we are reaching a point with no return. Is it really that we cannot find it within us to make peace and live together as equal human beings that share the same planet?
I think we should believe we can. Because essentially we can. I would live like that. You would live like that. So if we keep showing kindness and if we keep spreading positive messages that will not make people discriminate each other, we could all just show that huge amount of love that we were born to give. And cover all the bad there is in the world with love and kindness.
So, in these moments of despair, do not give in to the hatred that is so easy to be spread around. And instead, spread positivity and goodness and do good things and put a smile on someone’s face, make that someone hope again!
As you can see, I managed to write this much without naming people/communities/religions or use any bad words or point at anyone. So if I could , so can you. Please, keep in mind that words can hurt, so think about who you might hurt when writing, and if necessary, rephrase. Little by little, we can all show a bit of good will!
I have probably not said everything that I wanted to say, as thoughts keep flowing through my head. But if you read my whole post and got to this point, thank you! And please do let me know what you think about this and open my mind even more if there is something I am missing!
Much, much love to all of you, stay strong, D.