I'm not sure how to start this...
Last Friday I was having a quiet evening on the sofa when Mr. FFID told me to check Twitter as something awful was going on in Paris. I couldn't possibly believe when I saw the words 'shootings', 'terrorists' and 'hostages' associated with the city I once called home. I spent most of my evening following the updates, went to bed crying and barely slept.
I woke up on Saturday feeling awfully sad and scared for my home country. I had to work, tried to keep smiling and then had a meltdown once work was over. Luckily no one I know was directly affected but a close friend of mine and her boyfriend got very scared as they were not far from one of the targeted areas on Friday night. I felt so relieved nothing happened to her, you have no idea.
All the videos, pictures and constant updates are horribly difficult to follow on social media even from Ireland, so I can only imagine how difficult it must be in France right now. And then you have these reactionary comments against muslims and refugees that make me sick to my stomach. On the other side, there is an incredible showing of solidarity in France at the moment, which gives me some hope and believe that the world isn't filled with horrible people.
As my latest post was about Paris and included several places in the 11th district I just felt like I had to write something before getting back to the usual content. It would have felt wrong to post about something else as if nothing happened. I love Paris and the 11th district is one of my favourite areas for all the reasons why the terrorists targeted it; it's filled with restaurants and cafes and it's full of young people at the weekend out enjoying their Parisian life at its best.
This blog is usually a happy place and as you can understand it has been hard over the last few days to feel happy. I didn't want to put anything too light here out of respect...
All I can say is how my thoughts are going to the city of lights and to all its inhabitants. I feel so sorry for all the victims, their families and everyone else affected by this tragedy.
Paris, je t'aime and I always will.
'Fluctuat Nec Mergitur'