The best within some defeats the worst a few can do

Wounded Times
Kathie Costos
January 9, 2015

It always seems to end this way. Someone decided to use their time and energy to make the world a worse place but they end up making it better. How many times have we gone through  horrific acts only to rediscover the best of what we can offer each other?

It happened right after the first bomb went off in Boston at the marathon. One bomber was killed and the other is getting ready to go on trial.

The Boston Marathon bombings and subsequent related shootings were a series of attacks and incidents which began on April 15, 2013, when two pressure cooker bombs exploded during the Boston Marathon at 2:49 pm EDT, killing 3 people and injuring an estimated 264 others. The bombs exploded about 12 seconds and 210 yards (190 m) apart, near the finish line on Boylston Street.

Instead of running away after the first bomb went off, people ran to help the wounded.

Twelve seconds later, another bomb exploded. More ran to help not knowing if there would be another one or not. The will to help overcame their fear.

It happened in France. The murderers didn't get away with it. Oh, not just the crime itself but they didn't get away with what their goal must have been. Sure people were afraid but they overcame that fear, gathered together while the murderers were still running around and they sent a message. "Not Afraid"

I Am Charlie’: ’Je Suis Charlie’ goes viral after France attack People gather in solidarity of the victims of a terror attack against a satirical newspaper, in Paris, Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2015. Masked gunmen shouting "Allahu akbar!" stormed the Paris offices of a satirical newspaper Wednesday, killing 12 people, including the paper's editor, before escaping in a getaway car. It was France's deadliest terror attack in living memory. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)

I have a feeling they were at least a little afraid but their need to show they were not willing to live in fear was remarkable.

Now it looks as if there has been some closure.

France: Raids kill 3 suspects, including 2 wanted in Charlie Hebdo attack
CNN
By Greg Botelho
Updated 3:01 PM ET, Fri January 9, 2015

(CNN)A pair of dramatic raids Friday in France led to the killing of three terrorists -- one suspected in the fatal shooting of a policewoman, the other two in the massacre at the offices of Charlie Hebdo magazine -- and to the freeing of at least some of those they were holding hostage.

The French government's work is not over. There's still a lot of healing to do, a lot of questions to answer about how to prevent future attacks, and the fact that a woman wanted in the policewoman's shooting remains at large.

Still, as Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve said, "The nation is relieved tonight."
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Closure for the murderers anyway. As for the people, this will go on and on long after the names of the murderers have slipped off memories of the days people stood up to murderers and said WE WIN! Not defeated. Not forced to hide their love for other humans, the need to be connected with mercy and compassion.

That is what murderers never really understand. They can take a life but they can't take the best we have out of the living.

Average people do it all the time. Some run to help while others, understandably, run away. It is just the need to help is stronger than self-preservation.

It happens in the military when average men and women decide they want to do whatever they can to be of service to others. Among the many careers they could train for, they pick the hardest one of all.

They join during peacetime like they did between the major wars Gulf War (1991) and Afghanistan (2001) and Somalia (1993) Haiti (1994) Kosovo (1999) They did it all even after veterans of Vietnam were mistreated by the public for years.

There were many examples of compassion in Vietnam. Because brave photojournalists we were shown exactly what that looked like.

For everyone of the wounded, many more decided to risk their lives to help them survive. In this picture there are at least 7 others risking their lives for this 1 wounded soldier.

It is the depth of their ability to care for others more than themselves that causes so much pain and grieving.  The more they feel, the more they feel it all.

It is by that same strength they can overcome the worst that is happening inside of them.  That same strength can help them heal.  They just need to look at things in a different way because while they were focusing on the worst man was capable of doing to others, the best man was busy doing all he could do for others.

There is no cure for PTSD but no one is frozen the way they are today.  They can heal.  They can get better and live happier lives.  They still have a lot more to give to others and thank God they do because the best that is within them has not seen the end of their story.