I’ve been living in Maryland for about 2 months now and my life has changed a lot.

I went from waitressing and nannying 40+ hours a week, to working in a full time sales position outside of DC for an amazing wedding/technology company, Wedding Wire.

I am so grateful for the opportunity to work exceedingly hard for them. I am doing everything in my power to not take this long awaited job for granted.

Sometimes people, as entitled beings, need a reality check though.. something happens that grounds us again.

I don’t understand why these awful attacks have occurred this past week in Paris. I am safe and warm, huddled in some blankets in my aunt’s guest room in Maryland. These problems can seem worlds away, but if you think of these acts of terrorism like a sonic boom of sorts, I have still felt the vibrations from the aftermath, although probably minimally due to the 3000+ mile distance.

I know that these tragedies didn’t occur for my growth or learning experience. I am just trying to see the silver lining on an otherwise awful series of events.

I am more than willing to admit that I was becoming somewhat bogged down by my own petty struggles of a longer commute to work and missing my friends at home. Those minuscule frustrations look frivolous and ridiculous now though.

This coming weekend will be exactly a year from when me and my friends, Clara and Michaela, visited Paris. I shutter thinking about timing and how easy it is to take things for granted. Not just a job, as I referred to before,  but my life.

As I see all of the Facebook filters tinting people’s profile pictures the colors of the French flag, I wonder how much this series of events means to them. I sincerely hope it is more than just a timeline update, made as casually as one “checks-in” their location at Starbucks, when they get their morning coffee.

I offer my support and prayers for Paris, without a hashtag or social media stunt, although I understand the positive intentions many people have by doing so.

I just hope that everyone can take a few moments to reflect on these horrific murders and the invasion of Paris, to ponder or pray about what has happened and how it should change you as a person. Don’t let the stories of those that have died, parish along side them. Taking on a new perspective seems to be the least that I/we can do.