I Feel Pretty Safe Where I Live

My cozy little home in Grand Rapids, MI flourishes with the spirit of study and excitement as the semester begins. The four of us (all honors students) cook our own nutritious meals on our gas stove, we keep the place tidy, and we always remember to lock our doors at night. For the most part, the biggest thing I have to worry about is being able to get through the assigned reading for my rough, 18-credit course load. I am given a different perspective, however, when my homepage (BBC News) informs me of the ugly events happening to other human beings on the planet. "Dozens Killed in Afghan Explosion" was the major headline, today. The video footage was short but evocative: smoking corpses of over-turned vehicles, the alarming flash of firetruck lights, armed men passing through the rubble of crumbled houses in which 40 lives were lost. There seems to be quite a bit of confusion regarding what actually happened--but it can be no coincidence that the violence shook Kandahar after the results of the presidential elections were made public. After reflecting on such things, I recognize how lucky I am to curl up securely in my loft bed tonight--without having to worry about being killed in a politically motivated explosion--but my dreams tonight may be haunted.