NZ is better than that.

It has been a very sad few days for NZ, and I know many of us are still figuring out to cope with the shock and horror of the mass murder in mosques in Christchurch. I assume that most of you have heard about it no matter where you live, and I don't want to go into details, but it was beyond awful.

As I've talked to people about it, many have expressed that they had always believed that something like that couldn't happen here. And of course we all wish it hadn't. The natural progression of that train of thought leads to "I thought NZ was better than that." I know that lots of people will have different views on this, but I believe NZ is better than that. Way better than that. We all wish that things had gone differently such that so many families would not be in mourning right now, but from what I've seen, the way Kiwis have pulled together and are supporting each other is profound evidence of the strength and kindness of this country.

I am not an expert on this tragedy, and I don't intend to become one, because I've cried enough and I'd rather focus on how we can move forward. What I want to share with you are some of the pictures I've seen on social media and around Wellington that give me hope for the future.

Jacinda Ardern is an inspiring leader in many ways, and her response to this tragedy has raised her even higher in my eyes, and the bar was pretty high already.

She has worn a hijab to vigils around the country to show her support for Kiwis who are Muslim. She has been very clear, as have others, that they are Kiwis, and this is a national tragedy and not something that happened to an isolated group that's different from 'us.'

I can't actually look at this picture without crying. It's been shared by many people on social media, and it so powerfully expresses people's heartfelt support of the victims.

This poster was at the train station on Sunday. There are many more statements of support for the victims and calls for action against hate all around the city, and thousands of people have gone to vigils both to mourn and to show solidarity.

And I've seen these flyers around - this one was on my friends' car window. (whānau means family, by the way, so it's "Muslim family"). The other side has a list of ways you can help make things better. I'm really finding solace in how forward-thinking, practical, and active people are being.

Another good example of this is a fundraising campaign to support the families of the victims, which has already raised over 5.5 million dollars. If you'd like to contribute, please click here.

I wish that the world were a place where this couldn't happen anywhere, and I wish it had never happened in NZ. But I also believe that NZ is a strong, accepting and caring country, and that we will all continue to fight hate with love.