Life never ceases to throw us curveballs. One day, we’re at the top of the world. The next, we’re barely getting by.
Growing up in the United States and many western European countries, tragedy and violence happen each day, but to an extent. Thankfully, we live in places where not every day are we plagued by bombings, earthquakes, mass attacks and mass shootings. When these senseless acts of cruelty happen, we’re hurt, we’re astonished, we’re devastated, we can’t believe that they’ve occurred in places so near and dear to our hearts. But we often band together.
Sadly enough, places all around the world face some of these cruel acts on a daily basis. They are plagued by the fear that if they go out, they might never make it home. No matter what they do, where they go, or who they know, nothing can give them peace of mind.
This past week has been one that has led people living in typically safe nations to shudder with fear each time they turn on the news. In Paris, at least 129 people were killed and 352 people injured, in three senseless acts of terrorism; in Beirut, 43 people were killed and 200 were injured during multiple horrific bombings; and in Japan, a magnitude seven earthquake shook the nation.
When massive tragedies appear in our world, it’s hard not to feel small. We might sit down and ask ourselves, “What can I do?” It’s hard to figure out exactly if and what you can do to help improve such a negative situation.
We can’t often stop these actions from happening on our own, but we can stand tall and not allow ourselves to live in fear. We must support those who are in pain, and hold them up if they are weak. Many lives have been lost. We are allowed to mourn, but it is so crucial that we remain thankful for the time we have had with those who are now gone. We must remember and embrace their lives, while carrying on for them.
In times of fear and animosity, we must remember that whether it be a certain nationality, a religion, a race, a gender, or age who committed a violent act, it does not mean we should deem innocent individuals of the same demographics responsible or guilty for the misconduct of a few corrupt individuals. We must take the time to embrace them, for they are often just as horrified by these actions as we are.
The one thing we as bystanders really can do is be thankful for everything we have in our lives. With Thanksgiving just around the corner, most of us will be packing up our bags, and heading home for the week. In that time, it’s easy to get frustrated with your little sister or argue with your mom. Instead of flying off the handle, it’s so important to take the time to remind yourself to be patient, and embrace their quirks while you can.
This is meant to be a time of unity, love, and thanks – not football, shopping, and drinking. If there is one thing we can do this Thanksgiving to restore our own faith in the world, we can stop and embrace the individuals we have in our lives while we have them.
When our life flashes before our eyes, you won’t remember the shoes you bought, the amount of Instagram likes you got on your last picture, or how drunk you got last weekend. You’ll remember your parents, your siblings, your best friends, and your dogs. You’ll remember their smiles, how warm their hugs were, and all of the times your dad told bad dad jokes.
For many, these flashbacks happened too soon, and we will never forget them. We will hold them in our hearts and in our minds forever.
We stand with Paris. We stand with Beirut. We stand with Japan.