What in the world is going on?

As a 1^st generation American with parents born in Europe; Italy and Poland to be precise, I was raised to never take my freedom for granted, more importantly my life. I was taught the importance of the French motto, “ Liberte,  Egalitee et Fraterntie” ( Freedom, Equality & Fraternity), and after living in France for a year, I’ve embraced those words, falling in love with everything French. Including the beaches of Nice.

10:30 pm : The night of a National Holiday – you’re out with family and friends celebrating your nation, your flag, your identity. A place you proudly call home. But In a matter of seconds –  blood shed, terror, and chaos .

84+ people dead. 26 in critical condition. No, this is not some fictional drama or video game. This is real. This is happening right now, at this very moment. A horrific terror attack strikes Nice on Bastille Day.

And now today will never be the same.

But I’m not here to talk about myself – I’m crying out for the innocent lives lost in Nice. And not only Nice, but Paris, Istanbul, Jakarta, Yemen, Orlando, Ankara, Dhaka. The list goes on and on. Every single day humans are being killed, taken, persecuted, and tortured for their religion, identity, and beliefs.

Surly, I am not the only one thinking this, but what the Hell is going on? What kind of a world are we living in? Where is the humanity?

How is the second largest city in France savagely attacked on their most important national holiday? Killing families on vacation, children, and citizens who once called Nice their home!

As a European daughter, my heart bleeds for these innocent lives. And honestly, turning on the news, I feel so helpless and discouraged.

I find myself every day on the phone checking up with my relatives and friends abroad. I have to constantly check Facebook statuses to insure the whereabouts of others. What is safe? Where is safe? What can we call home?

Believe it or not, this is a “World War scenario.” We are all being impacted, moreover targeted.

It is a War on terrorism. Good vs Evil. And to ISIS and its followers, we are the evil. Horrifyingly enough, it could be getting worse.

So this is my call to you: do not take your democracy for granted, your freedom, your life. Because it may not be happening in your backyard, but kids your age are getting everything stripped away, including their life.

We must unite and join forces – show the good in the world because good will prevail. We must not back down and be afraid, but stand up for what we believe in.

Fight back, whether it’s with prayer, action, or solitude, and react! As cliché as it sounds, be the change you want to see in the world, because in the end we are all humans living on same planet breathing the same air, sharing the same moon and sun. Let God do the judging.

I won’t give up on humanity. I won’t give up on the world. Hold on, world. Hold on.