Patriots' Day 2013

I have to admit, I'm not a historian.  I was terrible at history in school with just enough short term memory to recall the minimum to pass the test and then it was immediately forgotten.  I remember hating learning all the names of battles, their dates, and the number of casualties.  John, on the other hand, loves history, especially Patriots' day.  He grew up in Stow, MA where the Stow Minute Men (and boys) fought so courageously in the first battles of the American Revolutionary War.  He played sports on the battle fields of nearly 240 years ago and was friends with those whose ancestors fought for our freedom.  He witnessed the reenactments. It was real to him and something to be proud of. 

The Boston Marathon is run, every year, on Patriots' day.  Half a million people from all over the world come to Boston to run and to cheer.  Runners train for months and often run to support charities near and far.  Friends, family and strangers line up to cheer them along the 26 plus mile course.  The first Boston Marathon was held in 1897 and it has been a beloved event for New England and Boston ever since. 

Patriots' day and Marathon Monday have been tainted and that saddens me beyond what words can express.  I'm heartbroken and confused and angry.  Angry that once again, after so little time, I'm trying to explain to my children why something like this has happened.  Something I can't rationalize myself, something they shouldn't have to try to understand at all. 

When Loretta asked me about it after catching a glimpse on TV, I focused on the heroism of the day.  I told her about all of the helpers; police officers, doctors and nurses, how people who were just there to watch were helping those who got hurt, giving runners their jackets and opening their homes to those that needed somewhere to go.  I told her about the outpouring of love and support from people all over the world.  So many acts of courage and kindness that we're only beginning to hear about them the next day.  Also, that the police will find the people who did this and stop them from hurting anyone else.  Then she asked, "but what if they don't find them, will they come by us?". 

Of course I told her she was safe and that the Boston Police were the best and would definitely find them, that even the President is helping, but what resonated for me was her use of the word "us".  For Loretta, "us" is her family, her school, her soccer team, her grandparents and cousins - as it should be.  But "us" is subjective.  What happened yesterday hurt us.  All of US. But, WE are strong.  We are smart and compassionate and resilient.  We know that responding with hate and fear only makes it worse. Hate and fear is what the people who do these types of things want us to live in, but we won't give them that satisfaction.
 



Taken at the London Marathon April, 21 2013 by unknown


"This is beyond religion or creed or nation. We would not be here if humanity were inherently evil...So when you spot violence, or bigotry, or intolerance or fear or just garden-variety misogyny, hatred or ignorance, just look it in the eye and think, 'The good outnumber you, and we always will.'" - Patton Oswalt