overwhelmed by the world

First of all, I must say that it is insanely hard to simply start trying to understand world events if you've never payed any attention to them before. Considering I have NEVER been the type of girl to open up the news paper in hopes of understanding politics and the war on terrorism, it seems I have a TONNE of catching up. 

I suppose some of you reading this blog will be very unimpressed with my evidential lack of knowledge. You might role your eyes at my naivety. First of all, this blog is not for you; this blog is for the many of us out there that haven't made the effort to understand world events until a very short while ago and want a very basic rundown of what is going on, who is involved etc.,etc. Second of all,  May I defend myself in saying that, I am trying now. It will be an impossibly slow process I am sure, especially considering simply how much content there seems to be out there, what with news being a never- ending thing, but I want to be able to look back at these initial posts and recognize that I have learnt from them. 

As I'm looking through the many breaking news stories now and trying to make sense of them in my own mind, I realize how small I am and how amazingly big the world is. It's one of those humbling moments like the first time you look up at the stars and really realize how beautiful the idea of life on an infinitely tiny speck in the galaxy really is. Somehow trying to understand the world lifts the burden of selfishness off your back, as though after realizing that the world does not revolve around you, you stop trying to spin it. It's then that you're given the chance to truly observe. 

So, all I really have to say is, forgive me for my lack of knowledge. Give me time to understand who and why the Hamas are, the issues behind Guantanamo Bay, the religious significance of the Gaza strip, the beliefs of the Tamil Tigers, the psychology of a suicide bomber. 

This could be an interesting journey.