Bigger Than Defeat
I’ve just watched an interview with an amazing woman. Thelma Stober was caught up in the 7/7 bombings in London. As a result she had the lower part of one leg amputated. Watch the interview here. http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/kurtbarling/2010/07/where_were_you_when_this.html
When she was asked if she hated the people that did this she said no. She’d love to sit down with them, talk to them and find out what drove them to this and if there was some other way of resolving whatever motivated this act.
Because of 9/11 I do feel closely connected to the stories of people affected by terrorism. I amazes me that the predominant attitude of the victims and relatives is one of hope determined hope. I feel it myself and often that hope is hard to define or even explain. I’m heartbroken at the callous way the ‘War On Terror’ seems to claim more innocent lives that the terrorism itself. I sometimes liken it to a game of Risk where the power-players seem to have enough disposable force to sacrifice to war their way to getting what they want.
But the normal people on the streets, they’re the winners. It’s like they’ve looked into the eyes of the attackers and have seen something deeper than the news headlines or the politicians statements. We’re not all as resolved as Thelma. Getting rid of the bitterness and finding forgiveness is a constant struggle many of us wont reach. But proving that we’re bigger than retaliation and knowing we’re meant to live for more than defeat is something that shows humanity is about reconciliation, and that’s what wins.
