I had plans on writing blog posts everyday last week as I had so much to share, but to be honest, the tragic airplane crash in the French Alps just pushed me off my blog train.
I have followed the news and gasped for air in despair. Once I started to watch I just couldn't part with our News Channels. How can something like this happen, I wonder... And the fact that it happened while I was sipping coffee and having a wonderful time with a blog friend really makes me feel even worse... Almost a bit guilty... That is why I wanted to share the glorious time I had that day in my previous blog post, before sharing this. Does that make sense?
I have watched the news reporters from the crash scene, from homes of victims and relatives in tears... Names and pictures of the people lost. I have cried and allowed the News Channels to rub all the drama into my face through our TV screen. With details and speculations out of the normal way of reporting a tragedy. Not even war zones are reported in this heart throbbing and almost "soap opera sensational" way. And I am ashamed of myself for getting sucked into this type of reporting. Very soon I realized that it all disgusts me.
One minute I am relieved to put the blame on the co-pilot, because we want to put the blame on someone. We want a reason. We need someone to be responsible. In the next I realize that the co-pilot is a victim like everyone else. And I feel bad because it is just so tragic and it is life on the dark side. Unpredictable and impossible to protect ourselves from. No matter how hard we try to live safe, our lives will always be edged with risk... We never know what a day will bring us. And it is terrifying to live with that thought. But the way news are presented to us today doesn't make it easier, does it?
Lets put fear into us all. Lets fear that I will be the next victim of a terrorist attack, a Tsunami, a plane crash, crazy school shooting or great big epidemic. Lets live in fear and jump on the commercial train of buying into security systems, gadgets and avoiding to live life to its full to protect ourselves from disasters. Really?
So I have turned off my news channels and I am letting go. And although people worldwide wants answers to why this happened and to find someone to blame for not observing and reporting this young man's psychological condition to his emplyer, I think that news of today should back off a bit and report with some sense of good manners. More constructive and less sensational to not call it "gossipy" rubbing themselves in tragic details. Show respect and report with style. Stop dragging people in dirty water...
This was a terrible accident and we will never get any fulfilling answers, we will always walk around with the question "Why?". And this is why I hardly ever watch news anymore... The only way to protect myself is to turn off the disasters and pretend it never happened. And maybe that is selfish, idiotic or naive to do so, but it sure makes my life so much easier to live and enjoy. And my life is so full of worries just the way it is without having to add grand fears from international catastrophes and disasters.
Kärlek
Annette
I agree with you 100%! I don't want to hear news with a dry uncaring voice, but mud raking isn't helping at all. Compassionate news reporting should be the goal, maybe some day! Thoughts and prayers to your side of the world!
ReplyDeleteI try to not watch much news as most of it is sad. I feel we should now let all the people involved
ReplyDeletebe left alone and grieve in private.
Rosezeeta
Hi, I agree with you as well, now journalists can 't respect feelings of families who lost their relatives, in my opinion it is very sad time for them and for all Europe, we should think about other people and feel sorry for them, I haven ' t watched any news, in Poland we had 5 years ago plane crash with president of Poland Kaczynski and about 95 people in Smolensk, very, ve ry , verysad time for al normal humans being, greetings from Warsaw
ReplyDeleteI totally understand your need to distance yourself from the news. We have been seeing bad things happening here in the U.S., so it's all getting to be too much. For sanity's sake we need to go back to balance in our lives. Though the opening scene deals with fear of flying, I just popped in a DVD of the movie French Kiss. It's a sweet love story that always makes me feel better when I'm down. No one has to feel guilty about stepping away from the intense news coverage. Our duty is to take care of ourselves first. Long distance hugs to you....
ReplyDeleteHej Annette!
ReplyDeleteNär jag mådde som dåligast för några år sedan, var jag tvungen att sluta ta in alla nyheter. Så fort jag hörde något jobbigt eller hemskt på nyheterna så trodde jag att det också skulle hända mig, och det var som att gå omkring med ett öppet mentalt sår hela tiden... Och jag har i princip fortsatt så. Jag vet att min familj talar om för mig om det är något jag behöver veta. Ibland känner jag mig väldigt udda och konstig som gör så, men jag måste skydda mig själv, och jag måste orka leva mitt EGET liv först och främst.
Så jag förstår fullkomligt om du måste stänga av ibland...
Kram,
Annie
Like everything now the news is a business, it has to sell itself and be competitive with other news services, it has to make money for the owners! It also has to be 24 hours a day....apparently! I have found that we have control as consumers, we can choose and it seems that a lot of us are choosing to NOT to watch. I no longer watch television news, I listen to the radio and when it gets too much I turn it off. I will read some news sites and when I get all the information I want, I stop reading. I wish we humans realised how much power we do have to make choices and influence our business culture. News owners would soon change their style if people stopped watching or reading their product. Well done Annette!!
ReplyDeleteI so agree with you. I have had the same experience of being glued to constant news coverage . So many global atrocities. Fear suddenly pervades my thinking. We stopped buying a newspaper after reading daily of global events and awful things . Watching the news is confronting. Sometimes I have to just stop watching as well. Thank you for saying what I am feeling too here in Australia.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you. It was so horrible, why oh why would someone do that? I really don't care if he had mental problems....why do this??? We don't have answers and won't have answers...it is just so senseless and tragic...and then there is the news that goes on and on....I have had to stop watching events like this. I say my prayers for safety, my own as well as my neighbors all over the world, and then I go about my life. I figure I need to enjoy my life, live a good life and do my best in this world. I have a strong faith, and I am so glad I have that faith. Wishing you peaceful days and comfort to your part of the world (that seems to get smaller and smaller all the time). Smiles and comfort sent your way...sue.
ReplyDeleteI haven't seen one picture and I am glad. The mass media and the reporters should be ashamed about how they behave. Is this professional journalisme? I doubt it, have doubted for a while. All the best to you.
ReplyDeleteFully agree!. Kisses.
ReplyDeleteOlga
I HATE the way the press sensationalise news like this. My heart goes out to all those touched by this, and to those who lost their lives. It's just so sad xxx
ReplyDeleteI haven't been so caught up in this story for some reason, I have in others. Maybe because I watch less news, also because it wasn't in my region. So I know it's been a sad story but not all the terrible details. This does feel easier. I only found out two days later. My lodger due to fly home to Germany a few days later, cancelled her flight at a loss at went by train. I could understand the need to do this so soon after. And yes I think I will travel in Europe by train if I can now and save flying for long haul journeys. We have to carry on living our lives, but I also think there are some things I might not do now. It's difficult isn't it. X
ReplyDeleteIt is all so hard sometimes. Even way over here in Australia we feel the pain of it all. Today's modern society with reporting of absolutely everything in this world can make it heavy. But we all want answers, but particularly those involved. Terrible times. There are no words.
ReplyDeleteI should have added on a brighter note, thank you for sharing your outing with friends, and all the wonderful posts you put out. I so love receiving my links to your blog posts and appreciate your talented works.
ReplyDeleteDear Annette: Being so m much older than You are I can remember my earlier years listening with only half an ear to the the news when my parents and grandparents turned on either radio or tv... those were much simpler times - when reporters only reported on what was happening in the immediate area where we lived and from the stand point of telling people what had happened in any particular event NOT ADDING THEIR spin, or suspected reasons for one thing or another. Ah yes simpler and kinder times I might add. Now we are Global Societies with news reports from EVERY corner of the globe and not only do we get these reports but we are showered with the sites and sounds of these disasters 24/7 day in and day out from the moment we awake until we attempt to close our eyes and to sleep. Too much ~ of everything!
ReplyDeleteI agree with you about the poor co-pilot being a victim as well. And for our human nature wanting to find some one on which to place blame. Sad sad times to be sure. And like You I too have made the decision longer ago than this particular event to refrain from steeping in the fear and drama the news tries to frighten and control us with.
On a brighter note I Am totally impressed with your decision to report on your special meeting in a separate piece. That showed great respect and consideration. I am totally enamored by the pristine portion of the world in which You live! Such daily exposure to the grandeur of Nature is soul replenishing!!! Your beautiful photos and heartfelt posts truly bring much needed Beauty and sense of serenity and normalcy to my hectic and too fast paced place in which I live. Thank You for sharing your kind heart and beautiful photos and hand crafted items with us all.
Lyn ~ Twigwoman@gmail.com
My daughter was back from Argentina two days before...a student exchange for spanish language...as 16 guys from Germany....I pray for all of them and their family....
ReplyDeleteIsabella
You have such a lovely heart, Annette. (Hugs)
ReplyDeleteSo very well said Annette.
ReplyDeleteIt's so easy in this day and age to live in fear ..... and too many of us do.
I've watched with a heavy heart for all those souls lost. I too find the news hard to watch much, it's more like a gossip column than news, forget fact checking anymore. So much of it you just can't believe. All the negative, non of the good that happens in the world. No wonder their is so much bad to talk about. Bad breeds bad..
ReplyDeletegood afternoon,
ReplyDeleteI completely agree with you. I followed the news as well and I can't imagine what anyone on that plane must have been going through. I agree on the fact that you have to live life at its fullest, but that's also very difficult sometimes. I'm happy that you shared this news with us. Thank you and have a good day!
Lovely greetings from the Netherlands,
Emily
(casacreaemilia.blogspot.nl)
Excellent piece Annette! I have felt the same way and I'm so glad there are many people out there with similar thoughts and feelings. Greeting from Slovakia.
ReplyDelete