Dear Norway

This is how I remember Norway. I visited two summers ago when I wrote a piece on design*sponge about the brilliant duo, Darling Clementine. They were so gracious and kind and we had a delicious lunch at Ingrid's beautiful Oslo house high on the mountain. I continue to be amazed by their body of work. So clean, so fun, so Scandinavian. I would love to live in the worlds they create.

I get sicker to my stomach the more I learn more about the awful events that happened this weekend. For such a small country I can imagine that many are directly affected and I pray for you. Sadly, the truth is that bad exists just as much as good. We all have the choice to live how we want, unfortunately, we can't choose the consequences. The consequences in this circumstance are beyond tragic. I can't help but think, what made this man so angry and reactionary to do something so unthinkable? I'm not sure I could ever grasp the answer. With that, the only thing I can do is offer my prayers and kindness in hopes that others will do the same.

I'm reminded of one of my favorite quotes by John A. Widtsoe who describes how we cultivate peace through actions and not just a wave of a magic wand.

It is a curious commentary on the human nature that men who cry for peace look upon peace as something that may be picked as an apple from a tree, something that lies about within easy reach of humanity. If I pick an apple from a tree, I have first planted the tree, cared for it, watered it, brought it to maturity. Then in due time I may have the fruit.

So with peace. It is not a thing by itself to be picked up casually, but it is the fruit of something precedent. Like the tree, something must be planted and nourished and cared for if we are to obtain peace. 

What happened was not something that happens every day, but similar events sure seem to be more frequent these days. Not proclaiming to have a simple solution for such complicated matters I do think we can be a bit kinder and a bit more aware of other people. There, that's my preaching for the day.