I strongly believe that no matter the miles or hours apart, we stay connected to our loved ones, our home country, our past and our future.
This morning when I finally opened my eyes at 6:30 local time (12:30 in Belgium) after a night of waking up at 00:30, 2:11 and 3:29 for no reason, I look at my phone and read the messages of Facebook informing me that some family members and friends “are accounted for”. Accounted for? What happened? Still half asleep I open the message sent by our youngest son at 3:29: “Brussels attacks: Zaventem and Maalbeek bombs kill many”.
In disbelief I started to reach out to family and friends while reading the news on all media available.
6 hours later I’ve still not turned on TV nor watched anything on YouTube. Feeling numb and hurt although I am miles away and “my” loved ones are not affected.
Grateful for all the friends who reached out to me, to show their support, to pray for my fellow countrymen. Today our “tricolours” flag turned predominantly black, but not without a red heart representing the solidarity chain started on social media. People in Belgium are using #IkWilHelpen to offer aid in the wake of the Brussels attacks. Also a golden ribbon for all the messages of hope and prayers written on the pavements of Brussels Squares: http://on.rt.com/77tq
We are grieving but not terrified and cartoonists have put in drawings where words were not enough: http://focus.knack.be/entertainment/boeken-strips/cartoonisten-reageren-op-aanslagen-brussel/article-normal-681669.html
This morning when I finally opened my eyes at 6:30 local time (12:30 in Belgium) after a night of waking up at 00:30, 2:11 and 3:29 for no reason, I look at my phone and read the messages of Facebook informing me that some family members and friends “are accounted for”. Accounted for? What happened? Still half asleep I open the message sent by our youngest son at 3:29: “Brussels attacks: Zaventem and Maalbeek bombs kill many”.
In disbelief I started to reach out to family and friends while reading the news on all media available.
6 hours later I’ve still not turned on TV nor watched anything on YouTube. Feeling numb and hurt although I am miles away and “my” loved ones are not affected.
Grateful for all the friends who reached out to me, to show their support, to pray for my fellow countrymen. Today our “tricolours” flag turned predominantly black, but not without a red heart representing the solidarity chain started on social media. People in Belgium are using #IkWilHelpen to offer aid in the wake of the Brussels attacks. Also a golden ribbon for all the messages of hope and prayers written on the pavements of Brussels Squares: http://on.rt.com/77tq
We are grieving but not terrified and cartoonists have put in drawings where words were not enough: http://focus.knack.be/entertainment/boeken-strips/cartoonisten-reageren-op-aanslagen-brussel/article-normal-681669.html