13 November. 2015

Another sad day in world history - 


Paris was under siege today - literally, Is Paris Burning?

Watching the news was tough - memories of what it FELT like on 9-11 came rushing back - and I wouldn't wish those feelings on anyone.  So sad to see people so traumatized by the evil around them.  But in the midst of all that evil - bombs, suicide bombers, machine guns - people killed eating dinner, enjoying a concert, at a soccer game - THERE WAS LIGHT!  People opening their homes since their fellow Parisians couldn't get home on a Metro that was shut down  - the leaders of the FREE world stepping up, the helpers, as Mr. Rogers reminded us, helping.  And it brought back the message of my favorite book I read with the kids all those teaching years - A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle - the one where some kids go and fight for their father's life and take on the embodiment of all the evil in the universe.

How do they defeat IT (the embodiment of evil)?  With love.  So simple.

I wonder when those who would destroy the planet through their hate and fear-mongering will get that? Maybe I should send them all a copy of the book.  Or maybe I'll just go reread it myself - it always makes me feel better about the planet.

Je suis Paris!

One of my former students posted a message from her Parisian "mother" (she was an exchange student last summer:  "Nous ne baisserons pas la tête et ferons front contre ces terroristes.”// 

“We will not hang our heads and we will stand up against these terrorists.”