In terra pax would be really nice right now

[oloriel]

For a couple of years now, my parents have been taking a holiday trip to Berlin in December - my mother loves the Christmas markets, my dad the general bustle of the capital. So this has become a bit of a family tradition.

They came back home the day before yesterday.

This would be a completely irrelevant piece of information under normal circumstances, but as circumstances are not normal (or rather, I refuse to consider that "normal"), it has suddenly become a piece of information for which I am incredibly grateful.

It's interesting to observe, in that context, how my reaction to the news - which would normally be horror, and shock, and heartbreak for the victims and their families - is predominantly relief. To the extent that I have to actively tell myself to be shocked and heartbroken for the victims, but left to its own devices, my mind is just "well mom and dad are home safely so it needn't bother you". The personal always interferes with the big picture.
So I am, as bad as that sounds, more relieved than shocked. (I do tell myself that just because my parents are safe, sadly that doesn't make it any better for other people.)

I'm terrified of what this is going to do to the already toxic political climate in our country, though. >_>

Yeah, peace on earth would be appreciated.

Comments

[elenbarathi.livejournal.com]

Very glad your parents are safely home! *hugs* What scary times, when people have to worry about whether it's safe to go Christmas shopping downtown - and then feel guilty about worrying, because nobody's going Christmas shopping in Aleppo... :(

The personal does always interfere with the big picture. If the big earthquake hit LA, I'd care about nothing but whether my daughter was safe. If she was, then I would have emotional energy to spare for others.

Alas, the political climate of much of the world seems so toxic now, just when Earth's physical climate and environment are at such grave risk. We're lucky to have had Tolkien (among others) to teach us how to live through dark times. "Estel ú-awarthad!" ()

Speaking of which, check out The Beasts Who Fought For Fairyland Until The Very End And Further Still (http://www.catherynnemvalente.com/the-beasts-who-fought-for-fairyland/): it's the first I've seen of that writer, and I really admire her spirit.