Thought of the Week - 'I will not give up and I hope you don't either'

This time in Belgium. The Belgium security forces had no sooner arrested a suspected ‘major player’ in the recent Paris outrage when, within days, there was carnage and mayhem as a result of suicide bombings.

So many people dead, so many injured. So many now affected by these terrible acts of violence. When will it ever end?

Unfortunately, because of the instantaneous access to live news, we are not spared the graphic visual aftermath of terrorism and we can be subjected to appallingly upsetting film footage taken literally seconds after a bombing has taken place.

There appears to be no real end result to terrorism. All it ever achieves is pain, destruction of lives and property and mistrust.

The one thing it is successful at is making us scared and concerned for the civilised world. No longer can we travel to anywhere at our leisure. As a result of the activities of terrorist groups we now have to take advice and warnings before we even book a holiday abroad.

We have accepted that as part of our holiday planning. And that is so sad, a fact of life yes, but very sad nonetheless.

I pray for a world where we can travel without fear, worship without persecution and love our neighbour without suspicion.

I am an eternal optimist and will not give up. I hope you don’t either.