Noen kommer noen går, noen dør i livets vår.

As most of you know by now, Norway got struck by a horrible terrorist act yesterday.

I was at work with Marianne when we heard that a bomb had exploded in one of the government buildings in Oslo. It was unbelievable. These things just don't happen in Norway. 

Who would do something like this?

It felt like the hours at work were sooo long yesterday. We had the news on on the computer, so that we could watch and get updated on how many were killed and injured.

Not very long after the news came that someone was shooting people at a political youth camp at Utøya outside Oslo. A man dressed as a policeman came to the island telling people it was a routine check because of the bombings in Oslo - not long after he pulled out a machine gun and started shooting.

So far 91 people are confirmed dead after the attack. 7 from the bomb and 84 from the island. Most of these are teenagers. Still there are many seriously injured and missing.

I've never given much thought to a scenario like this happening in my own country. It makes me so sad. It's even worse when it's so close. Of course, horrible things happens every day all over the world. This might seem small compared to the millions of people in Africa who are affected by the drought as we speak. I think it's important not to forget what's going on everywhere else, but I also think in a case like this it's alright to focus on and be sad for what's going on here.

It feels worse when it's so close. When it's "at home". Is it wrong to feel that way?

When this happened the racist comments came out left and right. Of course, many might think that this was a terrorist attack without roots in Norway - not preformed by Norwegians. That seems likely, right? Why would anyone do this to their own fellow citizens? 

When I was standing there at work, I have to say at first that's what I thought too. This couldn't be a Norwegian. But after a while (after a customer made a very racist comment toward who he thought is was) I decided, no, you know what? Who are we to point fingers at people? 

...

The goal with terrorist attacks is to spread fear. Fear in a country is very self destructive. One thing is people might fear to outer their opinions and speak up for what they think is right, another thing (which I think is just as bad if not worse) is xenophobia. That is the worst thing and creates such separation and suspicion between people in a society. 

If we're scared of each others differences, how will we then learn to create a place of peace, solidarity and understanding?

This might sound strange, but I've found a lot of comfort in what our prime minister has said at the 

press conferences. He is such a well spoken, reflected and neutral man. 

He also said that people shouldn't speculate on who did this until they knew for sure. That's what I like! I like how the leader of our country encourages people not to judge and blame others. This isn't the time to point fingers, but to support and comfort each other.

...

A few hours later, they caught a guy. They still don't know if he did this all by himself, but at least they caught the guy who was shooting on the island (who was also observed by where the bomb went off a few minutes prior to the explosion). He is now being charged for the bomb and the shooting.

A Norwegian citizen, blond, blue-eyed, conservative christian fundamentalist, member of the freemasons.

I bet that was like a punch in the stomach for a lot of people.  

Yes, I was surprised too, but then I thought; this person is clearly out of his mind - a complete psycho.

If you are that messed up it doesn't matter if you're a freemason from the rich side of town or if you're a refugee from a third world country. You're just messed up. Messed up people are everywhere! That's why you can't blame only certain groups of people. I'm sure there's a messed up person in your neighborhood too without you even knowing. I bet that's what his neighbors are thinking today.

(I want to underline that we still don't know if he worked alone or what his motives were. My opinions are only based on what I know so far)

...

After something like this I totally agree with what our prime minister said when someone asked him; 

-Now what?

Now we fight this with more democracy and more unity.

My thoughts go out to the injured, the family and friends of the deceased and the poor family/families of the people responsible for this.




Here comes a little song called "My Little Country" by Ole Paus.
I love this song, I always listen to it when I'm somewhere else and feeling homesick.
Norway might not be perfect, but it is our home.

My little country
A small place, a handful of peace
thrown out from the plains and the sea

My little country
Where high mountains are planted
between houses and people and words
And where silence and dreams grow
As an echo in the barren soil

My little country
Where the sea gently stroking and soft
who caress from coast to coast

My little country
Where stars glide past
and is a landscape when it is bright
while the night's pale and silent

My little country
A small place a handful of peace
thrown out from the plains and the sea

My little country
Where high mountains are planted
between houses and people and words
And where silence and dreams grow
As an echo in the barren soil.