look for the love

I was at a brilliant party last night, dancing and playing fabulous games until late, blissfully unaware of the events unfolding in Paris. Just like everyday, how I live without any awareness of the pain, loss, anger and grief of many, many folk affected by wars and greed and incidents that don't reach my consciousness in my own bubble of existence. If they are deemed newsworthy, they briefly come and go and I just simply don't know about how myriad people's lives are changed in an instant.
Sometimes a particular horror is brought to our attention and we get to feel a whole host of feelings in response that can include powerlessness. despair and fear. And when we are scared we can lash out, wanting to blame, wanting revenge, wanting to protect all we love. My heart is warmed today by the compassion evident in my newsfeed on facebook and yet I'm aware of places where this violence has incited further violence. When confronted by this, my challenge (to myself and to everyone) is to keep looking for the love.

The campaign group Hope not hate had this status last night:
As Paris (and wider France) tonight closes up and comes to a (temporary) standstill, people in France are offering their spare beds and sofas to people who are stranded by using the hashtag ‪#‎PorteOuverte‬ on twitter. People still remain decent in this world.

And I was reminded of something I only recently read about how kindness and generosity was shown to passengers grounded when flights were suspended during 9-11:
https://www.facebook.com/Amazing.Beautiful.Things/posts/647014045426565

And when it is hard to see the actions of love - you know what we need to do then, don't you? WE need to be the love for ourselves, be the ones instigating the kindness in the face of fear. Every one of us can do that :)