In light of recent events, I wanted to take this time to look beyond New York, reflect, and express my vexation. I’m not here to share my political views or to critique anyone else’s. I am only here to express my sadness and frustration with what’s been going on in the world.
I remember growing up with the phrase, as I’m sure many of us did, “treat others the way you’d like to be treated.” That rudimentary expression seems innate at first glance, but, as we grow older, we unfortunately find that people have since forgotten that lesson. I realize that life gets a little more complicated once you graduate from kindergarten, but I do think it’s true that we can learn a lot from young children who practice these beliefs.
Why am I saying all this? Over the past few days I’ve seen many videos of attacks across the world that have been nothing but perturbing. However, a friend of mine recently shared one that left me feeling surprisingly optimistic. The video is an interview clip of a father explaining the Paris attacks to his son. If you haven’t seen it, please watch. You will learn something today, I promise.
This young boy living in Paris is pretty aware of what is going on in his city; he knows how careful they must be. The father quickly turns to his child and draws his attention towards the flowers placed on the street, served to commemorate all those who died in the attacks. He tells him that those flowers are going to protect them. With that, the little boy smiles at his father and turns to the camera appearing much more relieved. This video was certainly a wake up call for me.
It is frustrating to feel like the only thing I can do is change my profile picture on Facebook to the colors of the Parisian flag or share a video of yet another attack. Don’t misunderstand me; I think these are imporant messages that we are sending. However, I would be lying if I said I feel completely fulfilled. I still am overwhelmed with the questions: Am I powerless? How is it feasibly possible for me to help?
And then I think of that little boy. 36.2 million views and hundreds of thousands of comments later, his voice was heard. Every second he moves and awes another individual with his thoughtful words. I can’t begin to imagine what it must be like to have to explain this to your child. However, I think this father handled it beautifully. He taught not just his son, but all of us, that tragic events are unavoidable. They happen around us every day. But it helps to know that the good will always outweigh the bad. In times when we feel powerless, we have flowers and candles to pick up the fallen pieces and help put us back together. With the help of the media, this little boy is touching millions of lives with just a few small words. He has restored hope in those who have given up and that is pretty remarkable.
So, as we approach this Thanksgiving, I begin to think of all that I am grateful for today. With a heavy heart, I try and think about what it is I can do to ensure that I’m doing my part. I am still searching for the answer, but in the process, I thank all those who have gotten me where I am today and continue to help me thrive. I am thankful to be able to open my eyes each and every day in this incredible city. I am fortunate enough to be educated and to have the opportunity to inform others. And for now, that is all I can do. Like the little boy, I promise to pay more careful attention to every flower and every candle. I promise to spend less time arguing and spend more time doing.