As a former Boston resident and a devoted marathon spectator, yesterday's events at the Boston Marathon have shaken me. I have never before seen a terrorist attack in a city I knew, let alone a place that I have walked 100 times. It was equally frightening and sad.
I come from a family of marathoners. Between my parents and my in-laws they have run over ten of them. I have long been an attendee of these epic races, often finding myself with tears in my eyes at the incredible outpouring of support for the runners among the thousands of spectators. Perfect strangers cheering each other on. Helping each other. Marathons—particularly the Boston Marathon, which falls on a state-wide holiday so that the whole city seems to turn out to watch the race—are uplifting, spirit-building events. Yesterday that was shattered along with the explosions.
As President Obama said, Boston is a strong city and will certainly come together in support and healing. To do that we must follow the wise words of Mr. Rogers: when you are scared, when something bad happens, just look for the helpers. I am proud to say that my father-in-law, a surgeon at a Boston-area hospital, was among those helpers yesterday, as were countless other brave people who raced towards the blast sites to tend to the injured and ailing. As we learn more about these inhumane events, we can at least rest easy knowing that many showed the greatest humanity and selflessness in the face of the horrible acts of a few.
I hope you take time to hug the ones you love—marathoners or not—today. Normal posts will resume tomorrow. Until then, please join me in praying for all those affected.
Thanks for an awesome post about an unfathomable event. Not only did you express the feelings of so many, you reminded us all to suspend our "normal" while we stop, think and pray.
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