Tragedy Strikes Again

In light of this weekend's tragic events, it just didn't seem right to post pictures of my children or some light-hearted event going on in my life.  While I do believe we do need to hold our heads up high and go on with our lives and not let them (the terrorist) paralyze us with fear, I felt it was only right that I take a moment to recognize this moment.  In Paris and around the world families are grieving over the loss of their loved ones while mine are tucked safely here at home in bed.  They were fathers, brothers, uncles, cousins, sons, mothers, daughters, sisters, friends, students, and co-workers. They were loved. They went out on what was a lovely Paris evening to celebrate life but never to return home to their homes and families.  Nights and days like these are becoming a way to a common event, and I pray that the day will never come that I am not shocked or heartbroken by such events.  When is the day going to come when we put down our guns and weapons and say enough is enough.  I no longer believe that violence will bring about change whatever that change maybe!  We are all brothers and sisters on this journey called life.  We may not have the same religion or amount of money in our bank accounts, but I do imagine as children we played and had joy in our hearts even if that was for one brief moment.  In many ways, we are the same than we are different.  I will not let hatred take over my heart and I need to cling on to hope that the men, woman, and children that I saw at the train station in Vienna just two months ago were not terrorists.  That they want peace just as much as I do. I will not let these terrorist paralyze my love for travel and this beautiful planet we live on,  I choose hope!  I dream of  Peace!  I pray for humanity to put down our guns and it begins with me!  I will choose to be kind.  I choose to love and when I say love I mean I choose to love all not just those who share the same ideas as me or look like me, but I choose to love everyone.