The Boston Tragedy: Seeing the Light

Yesterday our eyes saw too much blood, smoke, and carnage than we should have on a beautiful spring day. And our hearts felt heavier than any of us expected when we woke to start our week. As a nation, our hearts have not fully healed from the December tragedy in Sandy Hook, and yet we face another inexplicable, tragic event. And, as we always do, we turned to the internet for information.

The internet is a great tool for us to communicate, promote our businesses, and stay in contact with friends. But it is also a space in which the carnage from a bombing can be played over and over, post after post. It is a medium in which battles are waged between people with differing views, and people hijack a tragedy in an attempt to further a political agenda.

In my small home on the internet as well as my social media accounts, you will not find graphic images of the events from yesterday. There will also not be speculation and rush to blame either our government, people of certain religions or citizens of other nations.

Instead I will focus on the good in a tragic event. In a time such as this, it is what I believe we should all do. Evil should not prevail. And whether evil triumphs relies heavily on each of us choosing to perpetuate it or not.

Today I acknowledge and feel gratitude for the good that came from the event. Boston citizens, medical personnel, marathon runners, race volunteers, law enforcement, and other communities who rose in the face of darkness to show us light. Here are a few examples:

• The significant number of people donating to the Red Cross temporarily crashed the relief organization’s website.
• Countless runners completing the 26.2 mile grueling race continued to run–straight to emergency rooms to donate blood.
• After the second bomb injured those who had run to help the wounded and not knowing if there would be another blast, more chose to rush towards the victims in a great collective act of courage.
• Runners who were stopped at various points in the race following the bombings were brought food, drinks, and offered the comfort of being inside by Boston residents who lived along the route.
• The greatest foe for Boston professional sports teams showed a sign of solidarity.

• The Red Cross quickly reported blood supplies were full from the significant number of donors immediately following the bombings.
• Not knowing how they could assist, people lined up outside a Boston hospital to offer to do anything they could to help.

In every corner of the world, in unique ways, people are acknowledging the tragedy and trying to make sense of it all. At a rodeo in Texas, there was a moment of silence when the news of the bombings reached the event. This image, to me, is the epitome of lightness, love, and an example of solidarity.

May peace be with us all.