Devotions · Life · Little rants · Poetry/Poems · Social Issues

Vive La Republique Du France!…

jacquelineobyikocha

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I had my post for today all ironed out and set to go, until I woke up this morning and saw the news and I simply lost the desire for a light and chatty post.

A sick feeling settled in my stomach as I watched in utter stupefaction, the constant replay of attacks on innocent people gathered together for a concert, gathered to cheer their teams at the stadium; coldly murdered.

It wearies one to ask why? Why this hysterical, senseless killing? It just no longer makes sense.

Just several days ago we were reeling from this and now this.

I have a very special affinity for Paris and France as a whole. It means more to me than just a lovely holiday spot.

I am bilingual ( English /French ) a language that I spent 5 years to learn and I owe loyalty to this beautiful Nation for the opportunities it presented to my life.

For several years, I worked for the Embassy of France and the European Union.

I met my husband at “Maison de France” and I always feel like a part of me has come home when I visit Paris.

They welcome and throw their doors open to all and sundry who come to pay homage to this iconic city of European heritage and they are the least discriminating people that I happen to know from my sojourns in different parts of the World.

Shame on this infamy!

Shame on humans whose behaviour are nothing less than cowardly and dishonourable!

Even as the bloodbath and carnage of innocent ones soaks into the soil of its land, France’s pride and it’s beauty can never be cut down!

Hearts bowed in pain, we grieve.

Thrumming heat in our veins we scream.

Why do you kill me?

For I have done you nothing!

I have dined with you!

I have lain with you!

I cried with you and I laughed with you!

∴

Yet you gather like locusts,

To feast on my flesh!

Have I done you any wrong?

That you kill us in throngs?

A mother weeps for a lost child!

A father bemoans his loved ones!

For the souls cut down in cold blood!

Who have done you no wrong!

∴

Let our courage not fail us!

Nor our hearts cease to beat within us!

For they shall never know peace!

For the loss of the deceased.

The torment of their souls shall never cease!

Until they seek to find peace!

Peut les âmes des défunts reposent en paix/May the souls of the departed rest in peace!

Vive La France!

© Jacqueline Oby-Ikocha

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Published by jacquelineobyikocha

A wordsmith with a vivid imagination, an eager mind and a burning desire to carve out tales. As I journey with my muse to that land of all possibilities and self discovery, I hope my personal evolution will serve as a beacon of inspiration for anyone who chooses to stop by.

52 thoughts on “Vive La Republique Du France!…”

  2. It is really horrific and makes me angry that terrorists are continuing to endanger peoples lives. I tweeted the news when I read of such cowardice, there is absolutely nothing to gain from tearing families apart and killing innocent people. These cowards need to be stamped out.

    On a light note, I also can see why you have a love affair with France, it is a beautiful country with very creative and progressive people. Although I have not visited yet, I have read a lot and love watching French movies on Netflix (with captions of course)…they developed the French kiss…what you expect? My job at Itron, also has a location in Issy-les-Moulineaux and I work remotely with Issy team all the time, and they are awesome. I am also in love with different languages too and did think of living in France for a period to learn it…but because of my many travels to South America, I wanted to either go to Spain or Buenos Aires first and live with a host family for a year and go to school, then another year in Paris. Just to immerse myself in the languages and learn them quickly, while still getting credit towards my current degree program. But didn’t end up going, because I got the job offer at Itron, and just left IBM and went straight into that job, without taking a break. So for now, I enjoy Paris fashion and life through movies and working with colleagues who have a good work ethic.

    However back to your touching post and point, I find the French to be very open people and accepting of others…so one asks why? However it is the same here in the US, we help many countries but the terrorist still lurks to attempt subjugate us and attack our peace. So we should not hesitate to report any suspicious activities…because like Paris we are a melting pot. So when any one of us are attacked they are really attacking the freedom of ideas and mixed cultures, as well as, the safety and prosperity of our world. For it does have a negative ripple effect across countries and continents. So shame on them!! And we will overcome these bullies.
    Stay safe…peace to you.

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    1. Kaylaa, thank you so much for the depth of your words. I felt really pained today. Those places are familiar routes to me and France, like US is truly a melting pot where you find enriched minds. Yes indeed, we will overcome them. I do have a love-affair with France 😉 God bless and stay safe too.

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  4. What a beautiful tribute to such a beautiful country. We stayed up until the wee hours following the reports last night. There’s one solution to all this madness, and that’s courage. When those cowards stop hiding behind religion, only then will this madness cease. I call them cowards because only cowards prey on the innocent.

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    1. Etta, I fail to understand what sickness of the mind that consumes certain people to do these things? It is really sickening and even worse that they use religion as a cover for their diabolic acts. No God requires these of anyone! They are cowards and sick people. Thank you for your words.

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      1. I don’t know, I guess it is the effects of brainwashing. Look at the inhumanity of Hitler’s regime and so many others. Now it’s bombs and bullets and terrifying attacks on innocent people. You are right, just gross inhumanity.

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    I always cherished what you write, I can’t stop praising you.

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  12. I went to bed with a heavier heart: attacks in France, Lebanon, Baghdad, earthquake in Japan, increasing rape incidents in my country. I have been asking Jesus to come for his world so much for the past weeks. It is getting worse.

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  17. Beautiful, sad, touching, anger, so many feelings arise! You have so many close ties with France this must be even more difficult for you. I’m sorry. Let’s all pray for peace and love!

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  18. This is an excellent post. These continued acts of violence are so horrid and so pervasive. I sat in a cafe yesterday and it was all anyone was speaking of.

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    1. JoHanna it is almost difficult to think of anything else because the truth at the back of most peoples mind is where next will this happen? Who will be the unfortunate ones. It is getting ridiculously out of hand. Thank you so much for reading.

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  19. Hi Jacqueline,

    Really sad, I have wondered left, right and centre, I have tried to understand the reason for this sort of cruelty .

    How does one step outside of their own humanity? how does one remove their self from feeling for the next person’s anguish, that they cause them pain knowingly and deliberately and yet feel no remorse.

    Is terror the new normal? I shudder.

    I’ll continue to pray for peace.

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  20. The tragedy that happened in Paris is just a reminder of the evil and murderous hatred that reside in some hearts. Why anyone would chose to harm innocent people is a question that can not be easily answered for this level of evil is not normal. Peace to the loved ones of those lost in this heinous act of violence.

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  21. Stop. We must stop this soul searching, this asking for some hidden or deeper meaning to the actions of these barbaric people who are inflicting such pain and suffering. Theirs is no hidden agenda, they are pursuing exactly the ends they opening avow, the conversion or destruction of everyone who does not believe as they believe. These are quite simply religious zealots for whom this war began in the middle of the eighth century and will culminate, through their action, with the return of The Mahdi. From our western stance it is difficult to accept that anyone, especially heads of governments, can espouse such a cause but that is the reality we face. Read the literature on the Twelvers and suspend your disbelief that this could actually be a motivating force for sane people. You cannot negotiate with someone who has a mandate from his God to kill you. What would be your compromise position? https//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/mahdi http://www.digitaljournal.com/article/246668

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    1. Hmm! Serious food for thought. I am going to read this. Maybe, that can throw more light on things, but then why do so many Muslims claim that it is not Islamic and not in the Qu’ran to murder people in the name of their religion?

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  23. If I who’ve never visited France could feel the pain, I can’t imagine what you must have felt. The will of a person to blow herself up for such an evil cause is what the world is up against. What brings someone to that level where their self-respect recedes to the level where there own life is nothing? Simply put, it’s an elaborate system of brainwashing that begins before a child’s brain is smart enough to question – and it’s there to ensure a bigger plan. But we all want to close our eyes to it…we want our governments to defend us, but we tie their hands by saying and doing just the opposite. The governments must listen, because they want votes – and the population mix is changing fast and that makes decision-making more difficult. It’s a mess…and unless dealt with a clear, unimpassioned mind, it will grow.

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    1. Shafali my dear, thank you for a very insightful statement. Coincidentally, your comments are a reflection of my new post which focuses on upbringing. It is really beyond comprehension how humans can wilfully turn themselves into weapons of destruction.

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I love it when you decorate my heart with your words..

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