For some reason, all four of us were disturbed in the early hours the other night.
Steve and I were both tossing and turning, and then the children took it in turns to shout out and need attention. And after getting up to see to them, I couldn’t get straight back to sleep, so I grabbed my phone to see what was going on in the world.
And I saw the news about Nice.
And my tired mind couldn’t make sense of it. And in the morning, I still couldn’t make sense of it.
And now, days later, I’m realising that there just is no making sense of it. There is no getting your head around this. All this violence, and hate, and pain.
I’m seeing people try though. I’ve read various posts from people expressing their feelings about it. Most of them have brought me to tears.
The ones that upset me the most though, are the ones from people who seem to be losing hope. The ones where people are in a state of despair about the world they’ve brought their children into.
I understand the desire to hold our children that bit closer when something like this happens. It’s our nature to want to protect them. To do whatever we can to keep them safe.
And I understand how terrifying it is to think that we might not be able to protect them, that nowhere is really safe ‘out there’ any more.
But, the thing is, I still believe that this world is inherently good, that it really is a wonderful place.
I believe there is a hell of a lot more love out there than hate.
And I believe that us parents have got a huge job to do now.
It’s on us to raise our children to be open-minded people.
It’s on us to teach them that, no matter what a person’s religion, race, physical appearance, we’re all human, we’re all the same underneath it all.
And it’s on us to show them that love will always, always win.
My heart aches for the people who are hurting, but I can’t let the pain win. We can’t let the evil few win.
So please, don’t be defeated. Don’t hide away. Don’t stop living life. Don’t regret bringing children into this world.
Our children are here and they need to know that there is still so much good out there. That there is so much to see, so many wonderful people to meet.
We just need to keep teaching them, there is always hope and there is always love.
Thank you for this lovely post, you are right and we shouldn’t let them get us down. It is scary but we can’t let them win xx #KCACOLS
It really is scary, but we can’t let that stop us seeing all the beauty and goodness out there in the world. x
What a beautifully optimistic post in a time of such pain and despair. I know exactly what you mean about people losing hope. I see it everywhere-and I get it. It’s a scary thought that something may happen to one of your beloved children, but you are SO very right. We have the capacity and the opportunity to literally change the world. In our arms, we hold the next generation of soldiers and police officers, presidents and prime ministers. In our hands rest the little hands of future firefighters and doctors. We can change the world. #KCACOLS
I love the optimism in this post. The news has been so depressing and scary in recent times but you are so right we can’t let it stop us living life and enjoying ourselves. I would be lying if I said I’m not worried about what the world is going to be like as my children grow up but all I can do is teach them to be good and try and show them that the world is not all bad and there is more good in this world than bad. Very thought provoking post lovely xx #KCACOLS
Lovely post, I fear for my children’s future most definitely wondering what kind of world will become. But most definitely you are right, the love outweighs the hate and its all about teaching our children that #KCACOLS
Yes, I truly believe love will win out every time. x
What a wonderful post – thank you. You are SO right. We need to keep loving and hoping. I held my little boy tighter and thought the exact same thing – ‘what kind of world have I brought him into?’ But we really do have to work together to keep this world as safe and as happy as possible. #KCACOLS
Thank you so much for your comment. x
Its hard not to despair isnt it, especially when it just seems to be coming one after the other at the moment. Who knows what kind of world are children will be living in when they are our age? Like you say, I think teaching them compassion and tolerance is important #kcacols
It does seem to be coming thick and fast at the moment, but I do believe that good will always win in the end. x
lovely post. it is so hard to be optimistic when such awful things are happening on a seemingly daily/weekly basis. we too had an unsettled night with our boy and we saw the news at 3am. I just couldn’t sleep after reading 🙁 so sad. Thanks so much for linking up at #KCACOLS. Hope you come back again next Sunday 🙂
Made me smile, as sad and as scary as life is sometimes we have it and as you say it can be very beautiful and wondrous. I hope I can teach my son kindness and acceptance and hope the world will be kind to him in return #KCACOLS
I think all we can do is have faith that if we teach our children those things then they will get back from the world what they put out there. x
Thanks for the lovely post. It seems bad things just keep happening. #KCACOLS
Such a lovely post with a positive message. I agree the way we raise our children will have a big impact on the person they grow up to be, so if we teach them to be kind, thoughtful and open minded there will always be hope. Hope that we/they can make the world just that little bit better! Xx #KCACOLS
This is such a lovely post and I completely agree – we can’t let them win and we have to fight in our own way to show them and more importanly our children that there is good in the world. #KCACOLS
Yes, I think if we can bring up children who believe in love and hope and peace then we have a chance.x
Your so right! I’m sure there’s so much more love in this world then hate! I have to believe that for the sake of all our kids. The works does frighten me right now, but in hoping beyond hope that thins will change for the better, not the worst like I fear it will. #KCACOLS
I think good will always win over bad, and love over hate. x
I dont understand it either. I just can’t make sense of horrendous attrocities like this 🙁 Are we safe? are our children safe?
#KCACOLS
The thing is, there are no certainties in this life. Accidents can happen in our own homes. It is really scary, but I don’t want to let that stop any of us living our lives and experiencing all the good things out there. x
Always important to stay focused on the fact that there is an awful lot more good in the world than there is bad. #KCACOLS
Yes, there is so much more good out there than bad! x
Sadly negative news sells. I agree we need to remind our sons and daughters of love and hope.#KCACOLS
Yes that’s very true, we are drawn to the bad news aren’t we. x
Lovely post – a great one for making you think. The events in Nice were terrible, but we can’t let that dictate how we view the world #KCACOLS
Exactly, I refuse to let the evil few change my view of the world as a whole. x
Sometimes all we can do is stay positive and ‘keep swimming’. I meet quite a few young people through work and I’m always heartened by their sense of community spirit and willingness to make the world a better place – that’s where our hope should be but like you’ve said, it’s up to us to raise them with that in their hearts. #KCACOLS
So nice to read that! Our generation and the next has a lot of work to do but I do see so much good around me I’m sure we’ll get there. x
Lovely post. You’re right, our children are the future so we need to teach them so that they can help mskevthecwitld a better place. It’s scary, all the trouble and it’s hard to comprehend. We need to make sure it doesn’t overwhelm and take over though. Thanks for sharing x #KCACOLS
I think the best course of action is always to focus on the good, to look for the positives that are still out there. x
The world is a beautiful place but with terrible things in it. #kcacols
Yes, but the beautiful, good things far outnumber the terrible things in my opinion. x
Such a lovely post! Amidst all this sadness we have to look for the good. Otherwise we would go crazy! #KCACOLS
Yes, we really would though wouldn’t we. x