I'm not sure if I should make any comment, I'm not qualified to in any way, shape or form, but this is my blog for my opinions and thoughts.

Nearly two weeks ago, I watched in disbelief and horror as Paris suffered horrendous terror attacks. It was harrowing, frightening and my heart along with millions of others went out to all those in Paris, in France, their friends and relatives watching the terrible news unfolding. As I watched I thought about my trip to Paris at the very end of last year. It was my first and although I didn't really know what to expect, the people were extremely welcoming and the city was absolutely beautiful. 

I also remembered watching the attacks on the twin towers when I was very young, and not so long ago the 7/7 bombings which shook my beautiful London who I love so much.

The fallout from these attacks is huge. Not just in the places they happen but by how it can bring out the hate in humanity. Posts about Muslims that were disgusting to read splashed over social media. Racist news headlines. The fact that similar attacks were made in Nigeria with extremely low media coverage. People attacking asylum seekers, wanting to close our borders and too many examples to share here. 

These attacks are made by terrorists. The clue is in the name. They inspire terror. The people making these wild attacks on each other are motivated by fear of terrorism hitting them. That is playing directly into what these killers want. They want us to be afraid, they want us to turn on each other, they want to isolate and ostracise sections of the community. 

When people feel excluded, they are desperate. And that's when things can become dangerous, terror organisations bank on people turning to them to feel they belong.

I have no idea what the answers are. All I know is we need to counter hate with love. In every religion there are extremists, extreme not majority. Everywhere in the world there are people who twist certain things to suit their own ends. As terrible as these terror attacks were, when things seemed at there worst the world did reach out with love. Twitter created a hashtag to help Parisians find shelter, social media was overwhelmed by messages about France and displaying their flag, there was an appeal for blood donors to help the casualties and so many people showed up that they had to turn some away. Human beings are essentially good people. 

I've read a couple of books lately both set during the Second World War, The Book Theif and All the light we cannot see. They were both incredible and I highly recommend them. Particularly in All the Light, I really got a sense of the barbarity and mindlessness of the Nazi's. I couldn't believe that one persons warped beliefs and ideas had been able to grow and feed and be marketed to its nations people in such a way that many agreed with these same ideas or were to afraid to disagree. It's all to easy to see how something like this could happen again. 

Be kind to each other, help people out, remember what others have done for you and do not give in to fear. If these people want hatred and fear to reign then we have to do the opposite. Look around at what an incredible world we live in and the amazing people in it. Xxx