Today has been heartrending for so many of us. Many of you may not know but I grew up outside Boston and still consider it to be my hometown even after all these years on the west coast so for me this hit a few nerves and many memories. Watching the news, seeing the trauma, terror and destruction caused by some idiot(s) today has had me on the verge of tears most of the afternoon/evening. First thing I did when I got home this evening was to call my mother and tell her I love her. Seems she had only heard a few minutes before I called about the bombing at the Boston Marathon.
Now for some of the thoughts today caused:
Watching those that ran toward the injured rather than away for their own safety shows us all that even though there are idiots and twisted people out there, there are also amazing caring people out there as well. Hearing of the marathoners that changed course and instead of stopping, ran on to get to the hospital and give blood… heroic! Strangers that were not first responders trying to put pressure on wounds to stop the bleeding, people carrying injured away from the blast zone. All of this goes to show that humanity still exists, we aren’t all cold hearted self-centered ‘people’.
Reading the positive, supportive, caring tweets all afternoon as people tried to spread the word of resources, of friends and loved ones that were found safe so others would know and could breath a little easier, offers from strangers of places for stranded marathoners to stay etc shows some of the best of us. Virtual hugs being given to perfect strangers in our shared suffering as we remind each other we aren’t alone, we are in this together.
I was going to talk about how Amanda Palmer tweeting was helping us be connected, but that would be unfair to all the others doing this as well. Twitter and Facebook flooded with outpourings of grief, anger, love, caring, help, suggestions and just connecting us one to another so we would not be so alone during this horrendous day. For all the bad things we may have to say about the internet and social media, it has also done wonders for connecting people from around the world and helping us be there for each other even when we don’t personally know the person on the other side of the screen.
[sorry but the bad has to also be stated] Scammers starting up anytime is bad, but scammers trying to take advantage of this horrendous act, despicable!
Part of what breaks my heart is thinking back to my childhood. The innocence we enjoyed. Playing outside after dark. Walking to and from school without a thought of the danger some stranger might present. Being allowed to stay home alone after school without fear of trouble (other than the kind we caused). Today another layer of that innocence was stripped from those in my hometown (and around the world), the children there will not know what it is like to be able to go day to day without fear of those around us, known and unknown. They will not know the joy of exploring an abandoned hut on a rock out cropping because they aren’t allowed to go exploring as we were, or if they are it is only after a million cautionary instructions from their parents.
To me that is the bigger crime. While the loss of life is terrible, the injuries sustained and trauma induced will change the lives of those impacted. But everybody has just lost another layer of innocence. Everybody is going to be more suspicious of people and things around them. Many will fear being in crowds or events such as the Boston Marathon. That is the bigger crime.
I’m sorry if this seems to be a bit rambling and scattered, I have been trying to pull my thoughts and emotions together since the news broke and find I can’t. I wish I were back in Boston helping, but then I wonder how much help would I be in the situation there?
Boston and Bostonians (whether you still live there or not), know this, YOU ARE NOT ALONE. We are all here for you, sending you our thoughts, our prayers, our hugs and in the days to come much more I am sure.
