when i got home from work today the only thing i wanted to do was lie down and mindlessly scroll through my phone. my mom was going on about watching the news and seeing what was happening in Paris but i didn't pay her any attention.

the entire afternoon passed. we went out, ran some errands, went to the mall, and finally as i was in the backseat of the car i decided to ask, "what's going on in Paris?" it's moments like these where i reflect back on what i was thinking at the time, what i was doing, who i was with, what my train of thought was...

my mindset the entire day was "i can't wait to run home and lie down." once i had fulfilled that i then began thinking about the materialistic things i wanted to look at and buy- superficial enjoyment. when i pulled up the ny times and began reading, my heart dropped. this is what i kept putting off, what i nonchalantly shrugged off.

more than 100 people have been reported dead at this hour. more than 4 locations were used as prime vantage points of attack. paris, i am praying for you. social media has advanced so rapidly over the years that we now have the advantage of connecting with people all over the world to send an S.O.S. in these crises, to provide comfort and show that we too care. you are not alone.

i feel useless and redundant asking the question people always seem to come back to during these horrific acts: "why did this happen?" there is no one answer. i'm not sure even those behind the crime would be able to sufficiently explain their reasoning. just as we can not answer, when will this end? when will the hate be gone? we can only try to put love, understanding and compassion first.

"Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that." - Martin Luther King Jr. 

technology is not only at our disposal for entertainment but for awareness. tonight you are in my prayers Paris. i pray for the victims, the affected families, the bystanders, the unaware tourists, the children, humanity.

- alex