4/4/16, “Compassion”
Hi Everyone,
I hope that all is well with you. I’m having a serious moment. When very serious or bad things happen, it sometimes takes me a while to talk about them. I have to digest them first. And some things take longer than others. I am feeling rocked to the core by the act of terrorism that occurred in Brussels on March 22nd. Destruction of that nature is so huge, as an act, a message, and in its results, that it’s hard to get one’s mind around it. The recent acts of terrorism in Paris last November were like that, so shocking, such a wake up call (but to what?) that it sombered the city, the country, and the world, as we witnessed the events and the results on TV. There is something mesmerizing as well as heart breaking about events of that nature. You can’t tear yourself away from it once you start watching, as again and again you ask yourself why. And now it has happened again in Brussels, in Pakistan, in other countries, a steady stream of attacks on innocent people. And I have discovered now that as we read the statistics, we don’t fully understand what they mean. We read the death toll with horror and grief for the families and loved ones of those who died, and sadness and relief about the numbers of injured, thinking that at least they survived. But survival is no longer so simple with the kind of bombs and weapons that are used. And sometimes the event comes tragically close to home. This time it did for me and my family.
Among those wounded at the airport that was blown up in Brussels was a 16 year old member of my family, a young girl left in devastating condition, still alive, in a coma and hanging by a thread. Her body riddled with shrapnel and metal from the explosion, her internal organs damaged, limbs injured, her face and body burned. Suddenly this is not just news or a statistic or a video, or a political act that makes no sense. Suddenly it is a child, a loved one, family, and for some a friend. It becomes an act that is all too real and makes no sense. Women, children, babies, young people, men, their lives destroyed or forever affected by those who wish to deliver a message, an angry statement and hurt us by killing or injuring the people we love. It is shattering to think about, and not what we expect of our fellow humans, this wanton destruction of young lives, and even old ones. It truly makes no sense.
My heart aches as I share this with you. I have no message, no conclusion, no answers, no solutions. No idea how the world can turn back to something more civilized and humane again. I have never focused on politics personally or professionally. I care about people, families, children, the human race. I try to live and write about a message of hope, that transcends the hard things that happen to us. Losing someone we love is always hard to understand. But losing loved ones, or seeing them so devastatingly injured so needlessly, so wrongly, so cruelly and wastefully shocks us to our core. Not knowing what else to do, I turn to prayer at times like this, and I turn to you, baffled, saddened, crying, confused. How can this happen? How can something so wrong take place again and again, all over the world? As Mother Theresa said, “We cannot do great things, only small ones, with a great deal of love”. I pray for you, for your families and your loved ones, for your safety and well-being. I pray for wisdom in those who would hurt us, for compassion among all of us, for lives to be saved not lost. And I pray for the child of our family, that she may live and be whole again. I pray for your protection, for all our protection from acts of terrorism and hate. May there be more light and love and hope in the world.
With all my love, Danielle
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Dear Danielle, I am so sorry to hear of your own family member wounded and in a coma from the Brussels attack. Yes, these attacks are totally senseless and evil in their intent. However, you are absolutely right. Prayer and faith is the answer we all need to heed in these very troubled times. God Bless and prayers go out for your precious loved one ,who was an innocent defenseless victim in this cruel act.
Danielle,
I was shocked to hear of your family member being so severely injured in the Brussels attack. There are just no words to convey how upsetting these attacks are and seeming to coming more and more frequently. Thank you for praying for all of us, in spite of your loved ones situation and I hope for her, one so young, a miraculous healing. Please keep us updated if you can.
Love,
Lorraine
Yes Danielle, so sorry about your family that was involved in this cruel act that is presently rocking the whole world. My prayer is that God ease her pain and her recovery be quick in Jesus name. Amen
Winston Churchill, a man who knew more than a little about adversity, is responsible for two of my favorite quotes: “Never, never, never give up.” And, “If you are going through hell,keep going.”
Dear Danielle,
I hear you and understand your need for compassion right now as you turn to prayer and reach out to others for compassion. I am so sorry to hear about your family member and all those impacted by this senseless act or terror or hate. I pray for you and your family member.
I don’t force my beliefs on anyone and have a great respect for people of different faiths. But I am sharing from my own experience as a student of Christian Science. My motive is pure as you have been such an inspiration.
We cannot let these acts of terrorism dim our light or they win. We must continue to shine and shine brighter. I honestly believe Love is stronger than hate.
Let’s know that divine Love is right there with you all and your family member during their most desperate hour of need. We can never be separated from the love of God. I learned this when taking car of my surrogate dad who lived a full life.
I can’t imagine your pain because it involves an innocent child. Just know their spiritual identity can never be harmed. But it involves looking beyond the material senses to their real and true self which is spiritual and eternal.
My surrogate father was not that material body. Divine Love was TANGIBLE in that hospital room with us.
This Love is immediate, real, and ever present.
Perhaps an answer can be found in your Easter message below. The hardest part sometimes is for us to see ourself which is why we need to reach out to others for prayer and comfort in times of crisis like you are doing.
“Sometimes, it looks so dark, you can’t even see the tunnel, let alone a light at the end of it. I’ve been there, and I write about it. And I’m sure you’ve been there too. And what I LOVE about Resurrection, whatever your beliefs, is that it is a reminder that not only will you make it through the tunnel, but that sometimes after one of those dark times, the light at the end of the tunnel is so bright, it’s almost blinding—–the reminder that you will be revived and reborn and renewed and refreshed and come out of it stronger than ever. Wow!! I LOVE that!! Not only can we survive the dark times, but we can rise above them, and recover from them. We can be better than ever. What could be better?” – Danielle Steel
Amen!
Danielle, you are on the “screaming part of the roller coaster” right now so hold on with Hope. Remember, “Hope” is showing up for the hard work.
“Sometimes when things seem difficult in our human experience, we are inclined to discount this hope. We deny that it is legitimate or push it back as too good to be true, to be Truth.
.
“And yet it still remains there, ready for our acknowledgement. For that hope of good, peace, and joy, is God speaking to us, calling us to believe. And when we do, we find that that small drop of conscious awareness of God can’t help but overflow, filling us up with Truth and Love, and washing away the doubts and fears. This hope, this connection with God that material sense would hide, is our true guide and forever friend. It leads us home and impels us to bring healing hope, light, joy, and peace to others as well.” – written by a CS Practitioner and friend of mine
Further, my younger brother was in a car accident and in a coma for a period of time. He survived even after the doctors stated he would never be the same. He made a full recovery and told me of his NDE (Near Death experience). I asked him what he saw during this experience and he stated it wasn’t so much what he saw as how he felt. He stated he felt the most overwhelming and profound sense of divine Love which stayed with him for some time. He also saw relatives which had passed on.
Love is ALL.
I will include a link to a daily post on my new blog which sustained me in that hospital room when things got scary to the human sense while visiting my surrogate dad. It literally gave me strength and hope when I couldn’t find it within myself.
https://seekeroftruthrfs.wordpress.com/2016/03/25/good-friday-strength-courage-and-reliance-by-laura-moliter-cs-dell-yarnell/
Truth, Wisdom, Love and Sincerity, to ALL Mankind.
Rob Scott
Oaxaca, Mexico
Bless your heart..I am so sorry about the precious one that is known to you…I hope by now, healing both of the body and of the soul has begun…
Your books are my favorite because you indeed deal with hope and tomorrows and better days…I almost refuse to read books that don’t present these themes…There is enough pain in this crazy world that my books must take me to the better places…
Thank you for realizing this as you write..
Prayers for your loved one and for you as you seek answers and a degree of compassion in a crazy world..
God bless you
Deede
Thank you for your thoughts on events that many people, around the world, with wonder. Your words are beautiful and hopefully, we can all hope and Pray for a stop to such actions. I Love your thoughts and have read MANY of your books 🙂 Just remember that there are Millions in the world that have the same, compassionate thoughts and dreams like you. Keep on with your works.
So eloquently and sincerely stated. We have turned God away from our nation in recent years. Until we invite Him back, things will never be the same. Sincere prayers for your loved one.
So beautifully said… May God bless you and your family member.
Afternoon Danielle
Hope is all we have after my family like yours had a sudden tragic event.I pray that your young girl is healed and something will come out of these awful world acts of pure violence and hate.
Much peace to you and all your family x
I also am deeply saddened by all of this terror happening and the pain and suffering. And I too am seeking for a meaning, but I believe we have to put this in our Savior’s hands and the Universe to set things right. I pray that special people will be strengthen by our prayers and stand up, each to do the part they were put here for. I am so sorry for your family member injured in this attack. Bless you and yours and give you strength to get through these rough times. Love and bless you! Christina
Peace be with you and your family. We are all negatively affected by terrorism.
Danielle,
May your family member have a swift and complete recovery physically and mentally. I’m afraid our world doesn’t value human life like it once did and I pray that it changes for the better. That evil changes to good. Praying for all involved in these tragedies.
So happy you spoke out on this atrocity. We are all at risk with these acts of terrorism. My son and his family have just arrived in Germany to live for the next 3 or so years. I cringe every time I hear about the terrorist acts in or near there. I know you are in many regions close to these a lot of the time. I will keep you and your family in my prayers along with my son and family.
Danielle… So sorry to hear about your precious family member. I’m praying for her to survive…to heal…and to once again..be whole. God bless you and your family!
I can’t imagine the horror for your family member. Prayers for her and for peace in our troubled world.
Danielle
So sorry to read about your family member, sending thoughts and prayers your way. It’s a cruel world we live in and the taking of innocent lives is so wrong. We can only pray that this will stop.
you give so much love and hope to all your readers.
My wish is your family member recovers swiftly ,and can go on to fulfil their dreams.
Hopefully one day, all wars will be behind us, and the whole world can live in peace and harmony.
so sorry, I have no words either.
I’m so sorry, Ms. Steel. I hope that your family member pulls through this and be put on the path of healing and health.
Danielle
I am so sooty for your family member, she is only a child. M y prayers are with you and your family . God bless her.
Dear Danielle, am so sorry for your family member, I pray for family & our country, never did I think this would ever happen & why, only God knows why all this killing is taking place,my faith in God is so strong & I pray all the time. We all have to be ready for the coming of Christ, which I believe is in the making, again so sorry Danielle, God be with you & your family.
Sorry for the pain you are experiencing.i hope for a recovery for your family . I enjoy your books and these journals you send us about your life. No one understands why this ideology wants to create so much pain and evil . I’m sure no god would want this, only evil men.
Dear Danielle,
Reading your blog makes me feel saddened. I feel sorry for that young child. You are right, seeing this devastation and conflict going on around the globe that brings fear to all, and the worst of it, we don’t even know when and where and who is the next target, makes us feel defenseless and the only way for us is to strengthen our faith.
My prayers goes to those that was affected by the tragedy most especially to your family.
With love and prayers,
Amina
I appreciate very much your compassionate words and am so sorry to hear your loved one is wounded and pray for her to recover from coma.The world is full of brutality nowadays and it is because of politician’s doing.Arabia Saudita creats all sort of terrorist groups:Taliban,isis,etc who are armed by western arms’ industry supported by western politicians.The consequences of which are: the poor countries’
distruction,wild and uncontrollable immigration of those people in Europeans countries causing political and economical crisis ,not to mention terrorist attacks as a boomerang.I wonder when will the politicians understand the sense of the poem of Saadi (an ancient Persian poet and philosophy)which is written on the wall of ONU in Newyork!
“Human beings are members of a whole
In creation of one essence and soul
If one member uneasy will remain
If you’ve no sympathy for human pain
The name of human you can not retain”
My heart goes out to her and to you and the rest of the family. God has a purpose and he knows what the answers are and we just have to be patient for his answers. I will pray for all of you and hope you can find peace in your lives.
We need to pray really hard for God to put his hedge of protection around our loved ones and keep them safe, these people will meet their tragic end.
Love to you and yours.
So sorry to hear that lve lost many over the years one died on the ferry that went down in uk to France way back so unexpected loss has also hit my family but l appreciate how hard it is to write about it Hopefully one day the punishment for acts of terrorism will fit the crime not only to those that let them off but to people that know or assist in the making until then we have to go forward in life never knowing when it will happen again
I send my condolences to you and all those affected by these terrorist acts.
“Compassion”
Your words
Say how all of us feel
Prayers for you & family
Prayers for our world to find Peace
Is there a way that we get your novels in PDF form??