Living is the best way to overcome terror.

That's a sentence those of us who are old enough remember well following 9/11/2001. For me, a similar sense of dread has been draping my heart since I heard about the attacks in Paris on Friday.

I didn't post anything about the attacks on social media. However, I woke up Saturday morning, and my television stayed on one of the national news channels all weekend. Being in the broadcast industry, I knew I would have to talk about it. I knew I was entrusted, along with my colleagues, with sharing the latest information with people who were waiting for word that the individuals responsible for this tragedy were caught, more innocent people had lost loved ones, and countries were responding to such unprovoked violence.

It's all hard. It's difficult to process. It's scary, and it makes me angry to be scared.

And then I saw, in the midst of all the dark information, a light. Parisians were getting back to life. They were not going to let the terrorists stop them from enjoying the joie de vivre they are famous for.

And they are flaunting it all over social media! Using the #jesuisenterrasse, they are showing each other, and the world, that they will not be scared.

Literally translated, it means "I'm on the terrace." Their message, as seen in many of the photos, is that they are outside, living. They will not hide. They will not be afraid.

Americans are expressing similar sentiments. One tourist from Arkansas visiting Bourbon Street in New Orleans told the Associated Press this week:

"We're not going to let it stop us from doing what we want to do.  We're Americans."

We sure are. And we, too, are living. Thank you, Paris, for reminding me of what I already knew how to do.

 

 

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