Living life

It is a sad day when anybody dies. Even more so when it is unexpected and by another's hand. This is the place we find ourselves in today after yesterday's tragic event at the Lindt store in Sydney's CBD. My thoughts go out to all those involved as it did with the victims of the London bombings and 9/11. It is no different to the feeling I have when I think about the thousands of innocent lives lost in Afghanistan and Iraq, people just living their lives one minute, then dead the next. Or any other tragedy, natural or man made that I have seen through the eyes of the media. I may have my own opinions, but really they don't matter, life is the important thing to remember here.

Through all my recent musings and feelings that I have written down, none of these are important when faced with the reality of life, which is death. Death is inevitable, no matter how much we try to avoid it. Life is inevitable too, it will go on, it will change, it will be good and it will be bad. We cannot change what happens ahead of us, it doesn't exist. We can only focus on the now and be present to what we say and do, because this is what will affect the future, both our own and others. Right now rather than voice our opinions and rattle our sabers we should do a couple of things. Be calm, collected and respectful of those that had their lives taken from them. Secondly we should reflect on the first and be thankful for our life right now, everything we have in this moment and everything we can experience, good and bad. That is all, no ranting and raving. Just a respectful attitude.

I was talking with a friend about what had happened and said to her that it reminded me of watching 9/11 unfold on my TV 13 years ago. I felt strangely detached watching those scenes, knowing that my sister was working in Manhattan and not knowing where she was. It was a surreal experience that I will never forget and one that surfaced watching yesterday's coverage. The World has always been a vicious place and always will be. Terrorism, wars and atrocities happen all over the globe, everyday. Yesterday should remind us how sheltered we are from all the terrible things that go on and how lucky we really are. We don't deal with bombs landing around us, IEDs lying on the streets and gunmen at every other window. All life is sacred wherever it may be in World.