I still recall a lost me wandering through a huge crowd outside my school back in kindergarten. As a tiny child, roaming through the school population was a pretty easy task at the time. After finding my neighbors in the large assembly point and heading home that day, school was canceled for the rest of the semester. Of course, back then I didn’t know the reason everyone was outside in panic, usually as a kid you go with the flow. The reason for this dismay was a bomb threat. 

Growing up in the Middle East, you get your fair share of terror alongside you from a very young age. Once during elementary school, a fellow classmate described how he watched a maid thrown off a house roof dead when a residential compound was under attack. Quite a gruesome thing for a child to be discussing with his classmates, don’t you think? It’s a repulsively grim situation from the start when a young one has a first row seat to massacre. All while I aged and played with dolls, I’d hear stories of death and slaughter.

I think the main reason I’m sharing all of this with you right now is because I’m to some extent heart-broken by a lot of recent events especially considering it hits too close to home. A few weeks after moving to Germany, I’m in my friend’s room and we are frantically trying to keep up with the live updates of the Paris Attacks. I genuinely felt heartache after every single notification, the same heartache after the ambush on Beirut, Anakara, Niagaria, and so many other places.. Let’s all admit it, just seeing the aftermath of terrorist attacks is absolutely terrifying, one can only imagine, God forbid, being in a situation like that.

Two days ago, Brussels was under an attack of terror. As sad as it is to admit, this is the reality we are living in. Terror in general affects us greatly and is always among us. Lingering ever so slowly, ready to pounce when you least expect it’s presence. Your panic, fright, and apprehension will overcome your sight for a short while. You’ll even admit to it always being around and the unlikeliness of it occurring.

But that’s exactly what terror wants of you.

I pray and send my heart out to everyone affected by any recent tragedies and can only hope for a peaceful future free of terror and grief.

A blogger that rambles on about her experiences as a socially anxious girl stuck in an extrovert's body.

33 thoughts on “Terror”

  3. Good Day to You,

    Growing up in Maine, “Terror” seemed more like science fiction than the real world.

    We were sheltered by our rural setting and small community. It seemed that “bad” things happened far away. To a child, “far” away can be the next state or even a 3 or 4 hour drive.

    In high school, (1968-1972), the school system began to get “bomb threats”. They never amounted to anything, but an excuse to get an extra break from class. The fire trucks would show up, the building and grounds would be searched. Then it was over.

    It’s difficult to believe how much life has changed since then. A close friend was in Paris just two weeks before that attack. Her near encounter with REAL TERROR was enough to make us express our mutual thankfulness for having her safely home.

    I’m very sorry that your childhood had to be so full of violence happening so close to you. I wish you could find a place where violence would no longer be a commonly used word, with fewer acts.

    If only we could turn back the clock, keep all the wonderful experiences that have made our lives blessed and push aside all of this violence.

    If only the violence would just STOP.

    From one who still believes in PEACE, and wishing we all did.

    My Best to You
    Arth

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    1. Thank you Mr. Arthur for this very thorough comment! I do understand that the world was very different in the past, thank you for that insight. Kind of unbelievable how rapidly it all developed. Please do not be sorry about what I grew up around, I do believe it granted me a lot of experience and maturity 🙂 those last few sentences of yours are beautiful and I couldn’t have put it better myself. Again, thank you very much for this comment, I really enjoyed reading it and I wish you a lovely day ahead of you!

      Basant She

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  7. Thanks for sharing your perspective. What frustrates me to no end is how the American media only focuses on terrorist attacks in the Western world, such as Brussels or Paris. Then when Pakistan happened yesterday, I could only find news coverage on the crawler while the screen was plastered with Trump vs. Cruz: Wives Edition. People are DYING, and Americans need to know more about it.

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    1. No problem! I totally know where you’re coming from in regard to how terror is portrayed in the media depending on the location of occurrence. Thank you for your insight and I hope you have a great rest of the day!

      Basant She

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  10. your tribute is really touching, my dad’s best friend was always taking the train that was attacked and he got very lucky to wake up later this day. thank you for speaking up ! Have a nice day 🙂

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    1. I’m quite thankful that he made it out of their alive, must have been quite the terrifying position, I can’t even imagine. I hope you have a lovely day ahead of you as well, thank you for your comment!

      Basant She

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  11. I have to admit that my life in Canada has been quite sheltered as it relates to the terror attacks around the world.

    We have crime, but as it compares to terror attacks and the fear from it, it does not really compare. My heart always goes out to those affected by the attacks.

    And I do pray for peace…peace free of the terror and grief.

    Thank you for sharing!

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      1. Sadly there are simply too many people in the world who can’t subsist, let alone prosper for that to happen. Materialism (not saying Capitalism) and 24 hour instant news makes it impossible for many to not get and be angry enough to strike out. We can pray for peace, but it won’t come until all the worlds people want it badly enough to sacrifice for the common good.

        Liked by 1 person

    1. Thank you for your lovely comment, I’m glad I helped you feel gratitude, a lot of the time there are things we don’t even acknowledge as a blessing 🙂 Have a lovely day!

      Basant She

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  16. “But that’s exactly what terror wants of you.”

    Perfect summary statement of something so horrible as terrorism. Eventually, at least I tell myself this, we will evolve enough as humans to overcome such backwards ideologies.

    I probably won’t see it in my lifetime, but hopefully my daughter will.

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    1. Thank you, I was quite proud of myself when I wrote that down 🙈 it’s quite sad how a lot of us admit to the fact that we won’t be seeing a change anytime soon in regard to this. Thank you for your comment!

      Basant She

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