Tragedy in New Zealand

I have just returned from a two week trip to New Zealand. It was an amazing journey, but I just recieved heartbreaking news. Approximately 12 hours after I left, a vile attack was launched on two New Zealand mosques. As of writing, 49 people are dead. I feel shaken. As a cynical American it is easy to feel detached from a mass shooting. This feels different for me. Not just because of relative proximity, but because it feel like something that should not have happened there. New Zealand is a relatively safe country and I never felt like I was in danger there. The entire country has that small town feel, like you expect everyone to know everybody else. It feels wrong for a place that has so many friendly people from so many backgrounds. On of the first people I met in New Zealand was a hindu Uber driver. A nice, talkative man. The staff at the hostels I stayed at were often travelers from other countries. I met a lot of people with on working holidays that were from around the globe. They would work at some place in town to afford their trips. There were lots of shops and restaurants run by immigrants. Sometimes it felt like there were more people from other countries than natives. That is part of what makes the place special. Having so many people from so many backgrounds come together to make it all work. I have visited and prayed at churches, temples, and mosques on four continents now. In all of them I have found welcome and peace. I have had the chance to talk to people of different faiths, including Islam. There are few things as profane as violence on sacred ground. People go to these places to feel closer something deep and personal, to be inspired, and to be part of their communities. Real people, with real lives the world over. That is the thing about traveling. You get the chance to step out of the familiar and learn what is around the bend. Things seem scarier when you do not know what they are. I am glad that I have stepped around the curve and seen things are less frightening. Part of that is meeting people and learning what they are like. I am not a super social traveler, but I still come into contact with people as I explore. I learn their story as they learn mine. These shared bits of light join together to drive away the frightful darkness. We will say things about the people that have enacted this evil. We will call them crazy. We will call them extremists. Most importantly, we need to call them failures. We have to make it clear that they have failed to frighten us and failed to spread their darkness. I will not be stopped from traveling to New Zealand by this. I will not be stopped from traveling anywhere, including mosques. I hope others will not be scared away either. In fact, I hope they will be emboldened to take a step past the shadow and let their light drive back the darkness. This tragedy has left me sad. Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. To those that feel pain from this, I hope that you can find something to latch onto. Today is for mourning, tomorrow is for living. And too those who have passed on, peace be on you.