Promise me you’ll always remember: You’re braver than you believe, and stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think. -A. A. Mine
This past Monday, what should have been a day of cheer, celebrating the amazing accomplishment of running one of the oldest and celebrated marathon’s, the Boston Marathon, quickly turned into chaotic tragedy.
As bystanders, including an 8-old boy named Martin Richard, 29-year old restaurant manager Krystle Campbell and Boston University International student Lingzi Lu, cheered on their friends and family members, three bombs went off, killing these three instantly. (Shown below from left to right: Krystle Campbell, Martin Richard and Lingzi Lu)
Countless others were critically injured, including Jeff Bauman, who was there to cheer on his girlfriend. After losing both legs in the bombings, Jeff managed to help the police with identifying the two prime suspects.
Jeff Bauman: Helped identify two prime suspects in Boston Bombings
Stories like this help me realize that for all of the evil out there, good will still does prevail. This past week has been a difficult one for a few other personal reasons, but after witnessing the aftermath of this US tragedy, I am grateful for my family and myself to be safe and healthy.
It’s easy for us to watch the news and be filled with anger. Why does these events occur? Senseless tragedy seems to haunt our nation and rears it’s ugly head monthly.
It seems that we cannot do anything in public anymore. We cannot go to a marathon, without fear. Watch a movie, without fear. Take a flight, without fear. Go to a public political rally, without fear. Go to a religious gathering, without fear. Eat at a public well-known fast food restaurant, without fear. Probably most devastating, send our children to elementary school, WITHOUT FEAR.
Yet rather, than throw my hands up in frustration, I am determined to continue to believe that despite all of the evil actions taken by misguided individuals, there are also those who follow a positive path and remind all of us that good will still exists.
Anxious Meditations 