Terrorism Strikes Close to Home
It's been a long time since I have posted here, but today's bombing in Manila gave me pause. My company has an office in Manila, soon to be our largest office. The bombing was at a mall quite close to our office and also very close to the hotel that visitors would stay at. An employee of mine had travelled there to train in two new recent hires, so my first thought was of him. Before I got in touch with him I was saddened to learn that the wife of an employee based in Manila was killed while waiting for her husband at the mall were the bomb went off. What struck me was how similar this was to my own day as my wife in kids came to my office today and we went out to the lunch at the local mall.

After returning from my lunch, I was relieved to have an e-mail from my employee as well as a long IM session. Here is his e-mail, unedited:

I am ok. It was a little close for comfort as the hotel I am staying is not too far from the blast site. I was in a different mall at that time having lunch when this happened. We were returning from lunch when the folks here got SMS (they are real big into it) and casually -:) said there was blast "next to your hotel". I thought they were kidding but since realized the magnitude of it. The malls appeared less crowded in the evening - usually Friday evening is the crowded night.

Left the office late last night and hunkered down in the hotel room for an in-room dinner.

More later ...

Terrorism affects us all regardless of our location. Today, I am thankful that it's affect on me is this indirect, and I'm only left to ponder those that it affects very directly.