Terror in the back of my mind

11/7-Death Toll:209

26/11-Death Toll:164

13/7-Death Toll:26

In the last 5 years I have seen more blood than I will ever see. I have seen death. I have seen people lose their lives to bombs and men who came armed with weapons to DESTROY. The death toll was high, people were scared. I was scared. They came to terrorize. And they surely got what they wanted.

As I watched the aftermath of the terrorist attacks I couldn’t help but wonder why is my city being targeted over and over again? Why are we prey to bombs and bullets? But there was no answer. Maybe it is just something that we were supposed to deal with. Be resilient. Move on each time it happens because this will show the murders that they cannot take away our spirit. But aren’t fright, tears, and death a sign that the terrorists indeed took away just that?

What happens to innocent people who are victims to terrorism? Most of them dead. Some severely injured. And a few who even after years still suffer. These people in no way can recover from the after effects of a terror attack. It is something that becomes a part of them.

Terrorism is something that is become a part of our lives, it is a fight we face everyday. Precautionary measures, announcements and railways, thoughts in our heads-Will I return home the next time I step out? What is in the abandoned plastic bag lying at the sidewalk? This is what terrorism does to us. It is hard to get over, but even harder to deal with. Moving on are just words till the time the next bomb goes off.

It pained me to see a young boy, with destruction on his mind and not a sign of guilt in his eyes, brainwashed, took away innocent lives. He is now in prison fighting for his case. Is this justice? He with a no reason sprayed bullets at innocent people, why is he then being given a chance?

Why are we being terrorized? It is time for us to stop the blame game. Think beyond religion, sect, caste, and race. It is time we start thinking about humanity. It is time we start reflecting on how one individual treats another. Terrorism should be fought as a nation and not as individual states. It is time we look at terror in the eye and fight it.