What horror this world can bring..

I am currently reading about what has just happened over on the other side of the world in Norway... And with every article I read my heart sinks lower and lower. At least 84 souls killed while at a youth retreat on an island. 7 people were killed as the result of bombed government buildings in the formerly peaceful streets of Oslo. And the death toll only has room to grow.

I can't decide what's worse - reading about this gruesome situation and learning all of the details, or realizing that horrific scenes such as this take place all over the world, for example in the Middle East, and I never take the time to be informed about them. I spend every day focusing on my own issues and trivial problems instead of making sure I know what is happening in our world.

I want to change this. I want to read TIME magazine and learn a little about our current government not only once every few months, but regularly. I want to open up my laptop and instead of jumping to Facebook or StumbleUpon, immediately go to CNN and abcnews. I would say I would like to start watching more news on television, but I find reading words eloquently written is much more effective than listening to commercials every five minutes, or reporters stumble through stories.

I truly and deeply feel for everyone affected by the terror that took place in Norway. The picture above is that of Scandinavian flags in front of the Nordic Embassy building in Germany, flying half-staff for the victims in the bombing and shooting. I feel my heart is the same way today; half full and grieving. Not just for those in Europe, but for those all over this world who have personally felt the horror that it's people can bring.