Our faith in humanity has been shaken by a siege in Sydney and the horrendous slaughter of innocent children in Pakistan and Cairns. 

Each incident has left us in disbelief - how do such things even take place?

The inspiration for moving forward comes through the words and actions of those close to these events.

Solace is also found in the overwhelming reaction of the majority of people and not the senseless, barbaric, cowardly deeds of those behind the events.

In New South Wales premier Mike Baird who constantly reaffirmed the message 'we will get through this' during and after the Sydney siege.

In the heartfelt words of siege survivor Julie Taylor in remembering close friend Katrina Dawson who died protecting her from the gunman's bullets.

''Her bravery and strength was, and continues to be, a comfort and inspiration for me,'' Ms Taylor said.

Through the amazing scenes of a single bunch of flowers placed in Sydney's Martin Place growing into a floral sea in honour of the siege victims.

Sense also sits in the words penned by the long-time partner of the second siege victim Tori Johnson.

"This tragedy will remain with us forever but the uniting effects of this week and how they have galvanised our city, our country, makes us even more proud of Tori and Katrina - and proud of all Australians,'' he said.

But how do we then make sense of the senseless slaughter of more than 130 children by Taliban fighters at the Army Public School in the Pakistan city of Peshawar on Wednesday?

From this horrific scene we are left with only heroic deeds of a principal and teachers who tried valiantly to save terrified students and the witness account of a little boy who told how he played dead to survive to rebuild our eroded faith.

There is precious little hope amongst the pure evil of this event.

Perhaps the deeds of British boxer Amir Khan who donated a $50,000 pair of shorts made with 24-carat gold threading to help rebuild the school and strengthen security in the area qualifies.

And then there was Cairns.

Eight innocent children - brothers and sisters - aged between 18 months and 15 years callously stabbed to death.

Their mother - 34 years old - left seriously injured in hospital.

We will learn much more about this event today and beyond but it's hard to imagine we will ever completely understand why.

The constant in all these events is tears.

There have been so many shed this week in Australia and abroad.

This isn't how this time of the year - Christmas - should be.

May next week deliver good news - anything to restore that faith in humanity.