Well I've survived my first full week back at work after 2 weeks off. Took me a while to get back into the swing of things as right from day one was bombarded with questions re: work! It's been a weird week what with events of euphoria one minute of the Olympic celebrations, to carnage the next with the terrible events of Thursday 7th in London. I know I wasn't the only one frantically emailing, phoning and texting friends or family that live and work in London.
With regards to the days events; it amazed me how calmly and efficiently the emergency services responded to the call. It only seems like yesterday that the general public were slating them for the 'rehearsal' of a terrorist attack they did one quiet morning. Thank God we have some of the best emergency services in the world as without them, I think it would have been even more chaotic than it was. My heart goes out to the hundreds of people who have lost loved ones, been injured or maimed. It was one of those days that you couldn't believe the news that was coming in. As with Sept 11th, what initally appeared to be a tragic accident of a power surge underground soon proved to be horribly wrong. I've been moved to tears by the human spirit people have shown. Whether that be helping their fellow passengers with first aid & comforting them, to taxi drivers giving people a free journey home when it was chaos all around. My prayers go to those who are still missing loved ones, or who have lost loved ones.
London has been a prime target for so long now and it seems to have been the case of not "if it would happen" but "when". And although there will be heartache for those who have lost friends and relatives, people have a steely determination that nothing will deter them from going back to normal. Its as if the people of London have picked themselves up, dusted themselves off and stuck two fingers up to terrorism, saying "you can't stop us you know - life goes on". Call it the Blitz spirit or whatever, it just shows that people as a whole will not bow to the cowardly acts of terrorism.
The day before the attrocities above, the news that we won the Olympic bid was fantastic. I have grown up in London most of my life and although I no longer reside there I still am proud that we finally got the recognition we deserved. I hope the Olympics of 2012 will be a resounding sucess and rejuvenate parts of the city just as the Commonwealth Games did for Manchester. The only depresing thing I found about it, was that I will be nearly 40 when it happens!!
Anyway, in a week of highs and lows, my trivial holiday blues are insignificant. In the Daily Express today a picture of a simple note left with some flowers really moved me and showed a defiance in Thursday's tragic events. It said:
"Yesterday, we fled this great city, but today we are walking back into an even stronger greater city. The people who did this should know they have failed. They have picked the wrong city to pick on.
London will go on"
I think that says it all...
