People, not numbers

Today's bombing in London is absolutely heinous. It can not be seen as anything less. It was not an act of war, acts of war do not intentionally target civillians. I don't care who is carrying out the action, whether it be Middle Eastern terrorists or the US military (not saying that they do), any act that intentionally kills civillians is evil.

My recent experience with the death of a friend has given me some insight into the world of loss, I think. One of the reasons that his death hurt us all so much is that he still had so many dreams and goals that he would have accomplished if he had lived. He was not sick or dying for any extended period of time. We had no idea it was coming, and so were completely unprepared. And the hopes and plans left behind make it just that much more tragic. And I imagine that it must be even worse for the people affected by the bombings today. Lives cut short, hopes and dreams squashed, but not, this time, from a failing of the body, but from the will of another. Their lives were snatched by men bent on evil and terror. And that must be much worse. Additionally, I can think of at least 100 people that have been affected by the death of my friend. That many people hurting, many very deeply, because of the death of one person. I can't imagine the true level of suffering inflicted today. And that is why these people have to be stopped. People willing to inflict that much suffering on people intentionally cannot be appeased, they have to be opposed. This also highlights even more the sacrifice of the people in our military who willingly give their lives up. They allow the people they love to suffer so that they can end the suffering of many others. That kind of act is nothing short of heroic, and of the highest honor. We should honor them accordingly. Even if you don't agree with whatever war they may be fighting, at least respect the fact that they are willing to give up their lives, to bring suffering into the lives of people they love, so that other people, including you, won't have to. I don't know a higher human ideal, and I wish it could be accomplished without bloodshed, but the sad reality is that terror has to be confronted with force, and force is going to shed blood. Pray that the end would be sooner than any of us dares to hope, and give the respect due to those willing to die to save others.