O dierbaar België, ons hart zijn u gewijd

The title of this post translates to, “O dear Belgium, our hearts are dedicated to you.” These words come from the Belgium national anthem, but today the words seem to express the sentiment of the world to this small country. Today this country, without want, took the spotlight as they were the latest in a number of countries to suffer attacks by those wanting to spread fear and terror throughout the globe.

This country sits between France and Germany and has many times been a highway for one country to attack another. Today, though, there was no army marching through on its way to a bigger prize. This morning a few extremists attacked the country. Innocent people just trying to get to work felt the wrath of a group that has declared war on, well most of the world. Like so many I sat watching the news coverage and wondered how much longer must man act this way.

If there can be a bright spot to all of this, it is how the world can come together, at least for now, to unite after these tragedies. Leaders of different countries stood by Belgium today as they spoke their support and pledged their allegiance. The world seemed to be one people as we stood against evil. We saw a similar reaction back in November. The people of the world all stood with the French citizens as they tried to understand what had happened in the City of Love. It seems that when these dark days happen, we find a brightness in how people want to help each other out.

Today, the Prime Minister of Belgium called it a “black day” for the country. There is no denying this. However, one does not have to look far to see that it was also a day in which the world could see the Belgians for who they are, people who care about others. Search Twitter for #opendoors and you will see how, almost immediately, people near the attacks started taking care of each other. Belgians were opening up their homes to others who were stranded and could not leave due to all of the lock downs. News story after news story popped up about how the people of the country were reaching out to help each other. Yes, it was a dark day for the country, but the people of that country started to raise a light and show who they were.

Tonight the news showed photo after photo of how different countries were showing their solidarity with Belgium as one landmark after another was lit in honor of this small country. Even the tallest building in Abu Dhabi showed that this Arab city was saying enough.

This sense of unity after each attack from 9/11 and after is amazing. We do not see anger; we see people helping each other. Race, religion, gender, nothing is asked before aid is offered. It is as if we get a glimpse of how things could be. When we stand together, we show those willing to do evil that they will not win.

But how do we keep that unity going. For it is when we stand as one world in which we are strongest. I am not naïve to think that all countries would be willing to stand together, but I do believe that the number is high. The problem is that it will only take days before today’s news drops from the headlines. People go on with their lives as they must. The unity dies away and we once again become a globe of nations. It is normal – it is life. However, we open ourselves up for the evil to continue.

I also felt a sense of fear rising up from my soul. At what point do we become so accustomed to this that we stop watching, stop worrying, and stop feeling. I watched my Facebook feed since I have friends who live over there. I waited to see news that they were safe. Fortunately, they all appear to have been nowhere near the explosions. Then something else caught my eye, or I should say that a lack of something caught my attention. I did not see Facebook profiles being covered over with the Belgium flag. If you remember in November, after the Paris attacks, within hours FB was decorated with the French colors. Not today. Today, I saw business as usual. Democrats and Republicans were arguing about the upcoming elections. Posts about daily life filled the feed. Please know that I am not criticizing people, but I am wondering if the shock of these attacks are starting to fade to the point that we don’t talk about them. Come next year when March 22 rolls around, will people stop and remember those who didn’t give their lives but had it taken from them? Outside of Belgium will anybody remember?

What worries me even more is the number of terrorist attacks that have been carried out in Africa over the last few months, and yet we are lucky to hear anything on the evening news. We do not hear leaders speaking out about them. Have we already become so accustomed to these events that we do not even stop to watch, worry, and care?

So today some bad events took place because of a small group of people. Today, these people were allowed to spread fear. Today, we got to see the good in the people who were attacked.

The world stood with Belgium today. Let us continue to stand together as one world tomorrow, the next day, and the day after that. I am not asking that we give up our nationalities and become one country. I am wondering how to get our leaders and the leaders throughout the world to finally come to an understanding that the world must work together to bring peace. For we will never have peace as long as the nations of this globe do not learn how to work together to bring an end to this and the rest of the fighting.

We need to find the answers. In the meantime, O Belgium, our hearts are dedicated to you.

Thank you for meandering with me tonight.