My goodness, what can I say about the devastating news from Paris this weekend?
Sorrow, disgust, anxiety: I think everyone feels this way.
A week ago, my son was happily mooching about Paris, waiting six hours for his connecting bus to Limoges. Next week, my daughter is representing her lycée in a large get-together of young people in - you've guessed it - Paris.
Now, what is a mother supposed to do? Grab my kids, hug them to my body to protect them, stop them living their lives freely? I want to do that of course, but when I discussed this with my daughter this morning, she was quite withering and said that life must go on and no way would she not go to Paris, other wise the terrorists would have won again. She's right, but it doesn't stop me being extremely anxious.
I wrote the following on my Facebook page last night, having received ever-so-slightly sarcastic messages from a couple of people regarding the use of the French colours on my page:
" The reason I've changed my photo to the French background is not to make any political statement, just to show my solidarity to the land I have chosen as my home. It doesn't make me feel any less towards any other country, nation, religion, just lets me think that I can show my fellow citizens of France that I feel for us all, the people of France, and my sorrow for the young people killed in Paris - it could have been one of my loved ones. I don't care what sort of passport was found with the dead terrorists, I don't care which boundaries any government decide to open or close. I cannot change or take sides in, if I'm honest, what fighting is happening where as it seems to me the human condition seems to need conflict and has been so for ever and will continue until the human race finally expires. God - which ever one you believe in - help us all. X "
Bovey Belle here (you recently started following my blog). I am behind you with your statement - it IS about solidarity. You stand by your beliefs - even more so as you LIVE in France.
ReplyDeleteI wonder if we may be (very distantly!!!) related, as I have Peacheys in my family tree. If you find any Bolts in your Peachey line, then we are. My Devon Bolts moved up to Hampstead from Moretonhampstead back in the 1870s.
Love your blog and the delightful things you find. I deal in small furniture, collectables and militaria and LOVE going to Malvern Fleamarket, even though it means getting up in the middle of the night to go there.
I just wanted to show my solidarity with my French neighbours and friends. My daughter's trip to Paris has been cancelled (relief for me).
DeleteRegarding the Peachey family tree, ours were joined with the Hollis and Tollit families, but I guess there might be many more names! One day, I'll knuckle down and get it all on line :)
Yes, we're all in agreement and the whole incident was a shameful disaster. I like that the French government names it for what it really is - war.
ReplyDeleteIt's a difficult world these days, and when folks ought to be educated and knowledgeable enough to know better. I suppose that says something about the depths of human nature.
It is definitely a difficult world, I wonder where it will all end. I hope that the younger generation will make the world a better place, but sadly after the events recently, it seems some younger people will not.
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