We may have started the day with a cup of tea and some toast, but in the UK they were dealing with the horrific aftermath of yet another cowardly attack on society. 

Initial reports suggest at least 22 people were killed and dozens more injured when a “suicide bomber” exploded a suspected a nail bomb outside  the Manchester Arena.

Ariana Grande had just finished her set and the crowd was leaving when the unthinkable happened.

It’s devastating enough, but when you consider that most of the people inside that arena would have been teenagers – even children – it’s just hard to fathom who could be so calculating.

When did children become fair game in this so-called war?

The thing about attacks like this is while the most obvious impact is felt by people at the scene, or nearby, the shockwaves go around the world.

As a parent you do what you can to protect your children, but how do you reconcile this? 

No one can possibly be prepared for such an act of barbarism, targeting such a specific group.

Do we lock up our children and simply stop them from attending these large events? Do we stop having these gatherings of thousands of people, which can be made a target? Why not an internet concert? You could still buy tickets, but not actually attend the venue. 

But ultimately, why should we? 

That would be letting the terrorists win. We need to keep living our lives, 

An example of this was the fact this paper’s editor took a family was trip to Paris just after the November 2015 terrorist attacks. She wrestled with the decision to make the trip at all, given what had just happened. But did, and had a fantastic time, with absolutely no regrets.

What it comes down to then is you can’t withdraw from the rest of the world – and simply not participate. This is one battle that needs a united front. 

The irony of the Manchester attack is that it comes in a week when the Sydney Lindt Cafe siege is back in the spotlight. 

As a society we are still very much struggling with not just the act, but the reasons behind it.

There are no winners here – just losers – and it’s incomprehensible.