Not sure how I feel about the events of today really. On the one hand of course it is dreadful and scary and an atrocity. On the other we really have become quite desensitised to it. I have deliberately not talked to the children about it. I will, certainly with Davies anyway but in context as an example of extreme behaviour, beliefs and so on rather than in a sensationalist ‘see how this bus is ripped apart like a sardine can’ way it has been reported in. I think it is important that as soon as a child is able to deal with comprehending the dark side of life, illness, accidents, war and the terrible way humans can treat each other they are taught about it and not sheltered from it, but similarly I don’t want nightmares for weeks and him terrified by something which although a real threat is a remote one when related to the people he knows, which is how he is likely to dwell on it.
I read an article once about a female IRA bomber and how she justified her actions to herself and others. I cannot for one second condone any such behaviour, particularly when it is so random, brutal and non-specifically targetted, I am anti-violence and would be anti-war in general too but the passion with which these fanatics carry out their foul deeds is terrifying. This article demonstrated that as the woman likened her passion for her ’cause’ to the love a mother has for her child – and certainly I would die for my children… oh the world is mad.
Which makes me feel a bit odd continuing with a fairly selfish and then we had lunch style round up of our day but whilst one of the great horrors of such dreadful times is that the world keeps turning nonetheless I guess it is also a resilliance of us that we won’t be beaten or submit.
We’ve had an otherwise nice day today, I did get to spend some time chatting to Vickie while Davies, Scarlett and Andrew played. Apparantly Andrew has been telling everyone that he has a best friend called Davies – ah bless 🙂 Vickie’s Mum had one of the twins so there was only one baby around for most of the morning so we did the whole run down potted life story exchange, the why we HE stories and so on. Also chatted on siblings and effects on older children, she complimented me profusley on various attributes of my offspring (always a good way to make friends with me 😉 ) and we discovered that she spent two years at the same school as me (the year above me though so clearly we would not have noticed each other!) . She is slightly newer to the concepts of HE than me, slightly more nervy about justifying herself and her choices and slightly less confident in the whole path to follow. Found myself doing the patented ‘trust the process’ propaganda and as ever during a serious debate about HE getting very excited about it all and rediscovering my passion and belief in the whole thing. Not that I ever particularly dispute or disbelieve in it but quite nice to get fired up about it just the same 🙂 We alos talked a bit about parenting style, socialisation, support for HE parents (expect to meet Vickie soon virtually via MP!) and all sorts of life philiosophies too. Very enjoyable 😉
Once home I was all inspired about HE and started reading articles on TCS – which I think I finally ‘get’ but that’s another blog for another time. Slightly hysterically I was sat reading about it on my laptop while yelling at the kids to tidy up 😉
Have now drunk too much again, wish we were somewhere else tonight – I have several possible wish locations one of which I have shared with the people concerned – so I think bed with my returned beloved is the very best option given the whole day’s events quite frankly.
These sorts of events *are* part of life. People had to go through WW1, WW2, the Cold War, the Cuban Missile Crisis, the IRA campaign. You can’t let it affect you in my opinion. You are more likely to be killed in a car crash than a terrorist attack. It is awful for those people killed or injured or involved, but life has to go on and people shouldn’t over-react to it. Tomorrow presents no more risk than yesterday. The terrorised reaction is exactly the aim and should be avoided.
Comment by Chris — 07 July 2005 @ 11:18 pm
What he said 🙂
Was that with us then?
You do know you have a standing invitation here – arrange Ady a Reading trip on a Friday and get a Portico sleepover thrown in 🙂
Comment by Alison — 07 July 2005 @ 11:57 pm
hic …. come to reading 🙂
lewt them be vageuly intelligent & drink pink fizzy stuff with me 🙂
Comment by layla — 08 July 2005 @ 12:25 am
will get that sorted out soon then 😉
Comment by Nic — 08 July 2005 @ 8:56 am
I read parenting books and shout at the kids for interupting me all the time!!
Havin a bad day today, wish I could get drunk too but am trying to lose some weight. Must ask layla for her patented alcohol diet 😉
Comment by Kirsty — 08 July 2005 @ 1:07 pm
Enjoy 😉
Still waiting for mine to come home, but have miraculously managed to get our three to bed a whole hour earlier than normal *without* his help. How does that happen? Off to find the bottle opener too…
Comment by Barbara — 08 July 2005 @ 7:21 pm