My friend Marci sent me a text on Friday night and said, “OMG. Terrorist attack in France.” I immediately opened the browser on my phone and checked CNN. I was sickened to read the news of what was going on in Paris. It’s so crazy to think that while you’re standing in the middle of the grocery store picking up Parmesan cheese for dinner that someone across the world is shielding themselves from gunfire and praying to survive. I stood in the middle of that store and just repeated the word “love” over and over as a prayer.
I felt extra grateful on Friday night to be sitting around the table with my parents and grandmother sharing a meal in the warmth and relative safety of my grandmother’s house. I also felt unsettled imagining what the people of France must have been feeling at that exact moment.
I often avoid addressing these types of events on my blog because it feels incredibly insensitive to talk about them and then follow it up with something like, “but here’s what I ate this week” or, “check out this workout” when so many are grappling with unimaginable loss and devastation. It also seems insensitive to only address the events that impact us in the Western world when there is so much senseless violence and hate taking place every day so many other parts of the world.
This came up a few months ago after the horrible Charleston church shooting when a reader questioned me for not mentioning it on my blog. I guess today I just want to say that it’s not that these horrific events don’t touch me deeply, I just don’t know how to give them the credit and respect that they deserve in a way that feels honest, inclusive and authentic on this public forum.
My worldview is not so small that I think what I ate and how I worked out are in any way significant in the grand scheme of things but I do believe in the power of love and strength. The reason that I put my work out into the world is to empower others to love themselves, spread love to others and to believe in their strength and ability to transform their lives. It’s my hope that as we raise the vibration of love and strength within ourselves that it will spread out into our communities and around the world.
My thoughts, prayers and healing energy are with the people of France. And I am sending love and strength to all the citizens of this world.
All of my love,
Jen
Very well said Jen. It’s a strange thing moving on with our own lives when something(s) so devistating happened to others around the world. I look at my 2 yo son though and am know that he has a couple more years of happy ignorance and it helps. Just because we need to go on with the daily grind doesn’t mean we aren’t prayerful all day while doing so.
Thank you so much Janine. I cannot even imagine the new level of emotions you must feel when these tragedies occur when you are raising a child.
This was so beautifully articulated, Jen. Thank you for your message of love and for what you do every day to transmit that message to those near and far.
Thank you so much for your kind words Maeve.
Thanks for this great post! You articulated these issues so well, I appreciate that you addressed them here.
Thank you Hannah.
it’s ben a year are maybe 2 that à readding you but i am a french girl and my english is so bad that à never whrite something but tonight you are so right it’s seeM so far away all of that when you see all that misery and you are at your home with People you love, but just to says what you feel and says too People love and peace it’s the only think it matther too much pain in this world we have too says it lound, People love!!!!
Hi Cindy,
I wanted to thank you so much for taking the time to leave a comment on this post. My heart is with your country as you make your way through this terrible tragedy.
All my love,
Jen
I, too, never comment but I keep reading because you are relatable, kind and try to deal honestly with hard things. This was a great post and you should be proud of yourself for figuring out how to address this issue respectfully. It is horrible to take our safety for granted and you have proven that you do/did not.
Anne – I can’t tell you how much it means to me that you took the time to comment. I appreciate your kind words. It’s so difficult to find the right words to say in these situations. My therapist once said to me that “safety is an illusion” and it’s so true.
You said it best, Jen.
Thank you, Michelle.
Thanks for sharing this. I, too, struggle with how to articulate my feelings about everything going on in the world so I often just don’t address it. It doesn’t make any of us uncaring or insensitive, it just means we are all dealing in our own ways. Prayers and love to all those dealing with any kind of pain.
Thanks Sarah. It’s such a hard thing to figure out because there is so much constantly going on in the world. There’s no way to properly give every issue the respect it deserves and becomes so overwhelming.
Just went back and read this for the first time Jen. This is so well said, you are great writer and captured this wonderfully.
Thank you so much Farrell. This comment warmed my heart. <3