To be honest it was a little tough to be at work this week. With the tragic events unfolding in Norway, somewhere I had come to think of as home, and where I have so many friends, it made for a very weird few days. You have a tendency to feel a little unnecessarily guilty when you are doing something that is undeniably fun, while there is such sadness and pain being experienced by a country you care deeply for.
It was hard to reconcile.
As I sat at the side of the show floor, catching up with friends, hoping no-one I knew was affected, and following the updates from Oslo on the internet, it struck me that all the people milling around where there for the type of escape that entertainment provides. The world can be a fairly crappy, nasty place some days, and whether it is ignorance or hate, poverty, stress, discrimination or war, the darkness always threatens to creep into our lives and tear at us. So as I sat there, noticing the smiles on children's faces, and witnessing the passion of fans and producers alike, I was reminded why what we do is at least a little worthwhile...
Events like those we witnessed this week, should only serve to remind us to laugh, to smile, to celebrate what we enjoy, and to share it with each other. Some might dismiss it as escapism, but sometimes, a little bit of escapism is just what the soul needs to deflect some of the darkness in the world. We should never just let that darkness swallow us whole and encompass us.
...and on a final note, despite the incredible tragedy, and the mix of sadness and anger at events in Oslo. I am so immensely proud of Norway, and how it has reacted so far to this horrible tragedy. I can't really say it any better than this...
Comments
Very nice blog. I do hope the convention gave you a few minutes of escape from your turmoil I know you felt.