One Big Why, And That Would Be Why?

One would think, given all that is occurring in our world today, that writing a blog would be easy. It isn’t. Like most people, I am horrified by the terrorist attacks in Paris . . . in Lebanon, Syria, New York, Boston, Newtown, Colorado, Arizona, and on and on. There are too many incidents for me to recall as I begin writing this. I tend to believe that whether chaos is caused by those who form ISIS, by a single, deranged shooter in a theater somewhere, or by a mentally ill killer, the actions result in the same emotion: terror. And we are left to cope.

As I watched the ongoing news of the Paris attack last night, I thought about all the evenings in the recent (and not so recent) past that I have been riveted to a television in hopes of gaining more information and a greater understanding of why. Why? Conceivably no one truly can be certain why events of terror occur, although many pontificators, pundits, reporters, and politicians think they have an answer, if not THE answer. The viewer is left to listen, cringing, while watching unnerving interactions between those with differing viewpoints. The battle lines are drawn in brilliant color and we see faces, angry and askew, and fingers pointing. I have felt bombarded by opinions that run the gamut along the entire political spectrum, and I am left considering how all of this truth seeking and quarreling truly is affecting us. To some degree we carry the onslaught of opinion and information with us, don’t we? I’m not so sure that’s healthy.

Clearly everyone has his or her own thoughts, based, of course, upon his or her background, education, belief system, and experiences. Many have flocked to social media to vent their rage, frustration, sadness, and indignation and, moreover, to place blame. The venom is oozing everywhere, from every corner, from every political barker, and I don’t think it is helpful. Lashing out, for a few, must ease the load; for some of us, however, it is in our private spaces that we sort out the possibilities of why.

I like to think that however a person goes about dealing with the uncertainties that exist in a world that has grown unpredictable and violent that those of us who value love over hate, some day will experience peace on Earth. We all, all of us, must seek the eradication of terror, for ourselves and for future generations, and that’s the bottom line.