15 November 2015
Today I was going to post about Commando’s marathon finish in Toronto. Instead, I’ve been watching events unfold in Paris, a city I love, with horror. It’s unimaginable that the streets I walked not so very long ago were running with blood and echoing with gunfire on Friday night. My heart goes out to the people of France and, while the Eiffel Tower remains in darkness, it’s good to see the rest of the world is alight with support and love.
Friday 13 November 2015 showed the worst side of humanity but it also showed the best. Almost at once Twitter was filled with #PorteOuverte tweets from Parisians offering shelter to those caught up in the horror. Before long #StrandedinUS and #StrandedinCanada sprang up to help Parisians stranded on foreign soil. Pretty soon there was #prierpourParis filled with messages of love and support and this morning I received a Facebook notification, via Safety Check, to let me know my French Friend, Vincent, was safe. Then there’s the #notinmyname campaign where Muslims are showing their support.
For me, the most poignant of all the things I saw was the man who dragged his grand piano through the streets with his bicycle and played Imagine outside the cordoned off Bataclan Theatre. Never have those words seemed more apt. If only…
My sentiments exactly. France is one of America’s oldest allies. We stand with them!
Who knows where it will be next 🙁
Awful events. Unspeakable. Good to find small acts of kindness in the aftermath of such evil.
These things bring out the best in most people I think.
You said it all.
Thank you.
I don’t know when humanity will ever figure out that killing is not a solution to any problem.
I wish they’d work it out.
No words. Actions speak volumes. I am not religious but I am praying for mankind…
I’m not religious either but I hope prayers are a comfort to those who are.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts on this somber subject. Media coverage of the Paris events here in Wisconsin has been sketchy, but I’m slowly getting a sense of the magnitude of the horror. I’ll also add my non-denominational but heartfelt prayers for the victims, their families, and also all the innocent Muslims who had nothing to do with this but will likely be treated with suspicion and fear as a result. I appreciate your pointing out the points of lights in the darkness, though, and I hope they illuminate the rest of humanity.
Being our nearest neighbours (especially here on the south coast of England) it is big news here and feels very close. We have spent a lot of time in France, mostly Norma day and Paris and have friends over there. Vincent is studying in Paris so it was a worry. My heart goes out to everyone over there and I agree about the Muslims, I have many Islamic friends and they suffer more than most in all this.
A touching tribute. Hope all is well with you!
Thank you. All good here apart from all the rain.