My mother told me she missed a train during World War II in Europe. That train was bombed.
On November 13, 2015, my friend Cherie Hanson was visiting Paris. Virtually next door, explosions and gunshots killed over a hundred people.
Aberfan. London bombings. Twin Towers. School shootings. Wars. Freak accidents. Epidemics.
So many people in the wrong place at the wrong time; and so many people in the right place at the wrong time.
When something tragic happens and we’re in the ‘right place’ – safe – our physical or emotional proximity to the situation may determine its impact on us. It can affect us deeply even if the event didn’t happen directly to us.
Such events change the direction of lives. It can alter personalities. It can shift belief systems.
When the world’s populace takes notice, it is an opportunity to transform the consciousness of the human race.
Right Place, Wrong Time © November 15, 2015 | Annie Zalezsak
Annie Zed 
This was a welcome reflection. Your mother has my admiration for having survived WWII. I’m also glad to hear that your friend has lived to talk with you. Sometimes, in a faraway tragedy, we forget that those affected even if they are far away from us have friends who might live near us. We show compassion because we are all experiencing this together. I agree with you that sometimes we need one eye-opening experience to change the way we think about the world. Thank you for sharing your story.