Syria and reading the news. Sometimes.

Image from the NY Times.

I have to say I have been a little obsessed with the renovation these days, and with planning the house.   So much so that when I wake up in the morning I have been reading decorating blogs instead of the news. Don't get me wrong: I love decorating and think it’s a healthy distraction from the more stressful things going on in my life, but I think it has slipped into the realm of avoidance these past few weeks. I have stopped reading the news because it’s so frustrating and my feeling of impotence can be so overwhelming.

I don’t want or need to be the one to change the world. I just want to take some comfort in knowing that I have done what I could to at least contribute to some positive change. I know this might sound like semantics, but really it’s not. All I want is to know that I am doing something helpful.  My problem is that I know no middle ground. I am not good at doing things halfway. I don’t know how to be helpful while keeping some balance in my life.

I am working on facing the things that I have been avoiding.  I started today by simply catching up on the news in Syria, without placing any expectations on myself beyond informing myself, and for today, sharing this information with you.

A really good source of information on world conflicts is the BBC Country Profiles. If there is ever a topic that you want to learn about, it’s a great place to start. This is where I start whenever I want to get up to date on recent events, whether it be in Congo, South Sudan, Somalia or Syria.  It’s an accessible, easy to read format that gives clear synopses of current events.  The facts sheet will give you an up to date bullet point summary, and the timeline explains just what happened and when.

The BBC also has a subject page on the conflict in Syria that explains the major issues that Syrians have faced including protests, bombardment, refugees and a discussion of the international reaction.