We all awoke on Friday morning to the tragedy of the events in Nice on Bastille day. For those of us in France or on our way there the events had an even stronger impact. Personally, France is my second home and it’s awful to see what is supposed to be a day that represents liberty, equality and fraternity turned into one of death and fear. Nice perspective
I realise that this perhaps does not appear to be a positive message but please bear with me! It is important for us to realise that such moments of terrible tragedy underline the value and wonder of our own lives; they put things into perspective. Our everyday strifes and struggles pale in comparison to horrific events such as those that happened in Nice. This is not to say that our personal troubles are insignificant but to remind us that when we take a step back and put them into perspective they can seem so much less important. We all have one precious life and such sad events are a reminder of the fragility of life.
This week, I ask you to send love and sympathy to those affected by the events in Nice and when you feel yourself being pulled into unnecessary or petty concerns, pull back and remind yourself that you are alive, your life is a gift and it is your choice to honour that. As Vicktor Frankl, the Jewish Psychiatrist who survived the horrors of Aushwitz put it: nice perspective
“Everything can be taken from a man but one thing, man’s last freedoms to choose ones attitude to any given set of circumstances, to choose ones own way.”