You can go ahead and hate me now, because what I am about to say is going to hurt. And let me also tell you that we are all entitled to free speech, even if you don't agree with me. All you have to do is close your browser and never come back to this hole in the wall, okay? Fine. I've warned you.
Let me first say that I am crushed by what happened at Boston on Monday. I've held the thought of running the Boston Marathon in my heart for years. And while it isn't on my bucket list, I have toyed from time to time with the idea of making it a goal of mine someday. Of placing the race on my bucket list and making the long trek to the famous finish line happen. Well, you can darn well bet I won't be doing that now.
To which some of you will reply, Don't let the actions of a few change your life. Why let the egregious yet cowardly acts of these people determine where you'll go? It has more to do with the fact that other more significant and spiritual goals lay higher on the priority list that exists in my head. In the end, if I want to run Boston sometime, I'll find the ability to get there, provided my body doesn't give out first.
Let me also throw in here, before my thoughts turn tumultuous, that as usual, the media has jumped on this event with a vengeance. And of course, they've mangled it well. It is truly awesome that we have the ability to know things in real time, but let's get the facts right and not start a nationwide panic. And although the thought has been eloquently stated elsewhere already, let's take a brief moment to mention to the media that it is never okay to camp outside the house of a family who just lost someone. It doesn't matter if the person was 98 years old or 8 years old, as was the case with the Richard family. Learn some manners people, will you?
But up until now, you might not have found anything wrong with what I've said. You aren't going to despise me because I don't feel like trying to qualify for the Boston Marathon this year or next. And you might actually agree with what I just wrote about the media. So what might cause some stomach upset? Is the suspense getting to you yet?
You're going to be frustrated with me because I am putting words to some of the thoughts that certainly march through my head, those that could rest quietly in your own minds when you see media coverage of the Boston tragedy. Here they are, in no particular order.
1. Look around and count your blessings before you complain. Again, I am relying on the unreliable media here, but there have been a handful of articles addressing the families of those victims that lost limbs but kept their lives. One woman in particular grieved over her two sons, both of whom were seriously injured. While I feel for this woman and her boys, and can sympathize (Really, I do. I've been running for the last 20 years; I can't imagine waking up and knowing that I'd no longer be able to do that.) that a runner without legs will never be the same, these two still have their lives. I am certain that the Richard, Campbell, and Lu families would give anything to have the life of their loved one restored, wounded or not.
2. Outpouring of support is lovely, but where are you when things go well? I really don't' like to point out the obvious negative nature of that comment, but I am. I love to see humankind at its best, which is often the case after tragedies. How many people have banded together after Newtown, Hurricane Katrina, and the 2004 tsunami in Indonesia? The ability of the American people to dig, and dig deep, into their lives and pockets in order to help one another is great. But I am sad to report the well-known fact that it takes something like this for us to do what's right: to open our hearts, homes, lives, and pocketbooks to a fellow human. We should be doing this all the time, not just when the chips are down. Because, quite frankly, the chips are down for many ordinary people every day. Count yourself lucky if you aren't one of them (which sort of goes back to #1).
3. The event will provide more fodder for the Obama haters. I'm not the President's biggest fan nor am I his greatest proponent, but I can guarantee that many people have already blamed what took on place on Monday on him. They'll take the idea and run to his doorstep that because he hasn't done enough to act against terrorism, accounts like this can happen. We already know that you can't blame one man and his party for the fact that some insane people fashioned and placed bombs at a running event. May I remind the outspoken Republicans to whom I refer that Bush was president when 9/11 happened.
4. In the end, whoever planned the act actually succeeded, but most of the casualties will be our own doing. The number of lives lost to the blasts was minimal; those that were hurt could have been much worse. So on the surface, it looks like Boston will come out, strong and fighting. I hope they do, and I hope the marathons of the future surge with participants, people that say screw you to the select few that try to bring others down. However, the people behind this might be smarter than we think. They know that Americans are our own worst enemies. That we have factions that battle daily and the chasm is growing wider every day. Between the people who pull in the gun debate issue after seeing this news to the groups that blame the president (see above) the American public loves a good argument and we fight with each other, our very own countrymen, on a scale that rivals no other. I'll say it again. We could possibly be our own worst enemies. Charity starts at home.
And there you have it. My two cents on the situation, thoughts that came to mind the moment I saw the news reports. I grieve for the families that lost their loved ones, and I hope the wounded can rest and recover peacefully. How great would it be to never see something like this happen again? Good luck to those running the London Marathon over the weekend.
Let me first say that I am crushed by what happened at Boston on Monday. I've held the thought of running the Boston Marathon in my heart for years. And while it isn't on my bucket list, I have toyed from time to time with the idea of making it a goal of mine someday. Of placing the race on my bucket list and making the long trek to the famous finish line happen. Well, you can darn well bet I won't be doing that now.
To which some of you will reply, Don't let the actions of a few change your life. Why let the egregious yet cowardly acts of these people determine where you'll go? It has more to do with the fact that other more significant and spiritual goals lay higher on the priority list that exists in my head. In the end, if I want to run Boston sometime, I'll find the ability to get there, provided my body doesn't give out first.
Let me also throw in here, before my thoughts turn tumultuous, that as usual, the media has jumped on this event with a vengeance. And of course, they've mangled it well. It is truly awesome that we have the ability to know things in real time, but let's get the facts right and not start a nationwide panic. And although the thought has been eloquently stated elsewhere already, let's take a brief moment to mention to the media that it is never okay to camp outside the house of a family who just lost someone. It doesn't matter if the person was 98 years old or 8 years old, as was the case with the Richard family. Learn some manners people, will you?
But up until now, you might not have found anything wrong with what I've said. You aren't going to despise me because I don't feel like trying to qualify for the Boston Marathon this year or next. And you might actually agree with what I just wrote about the media. So what might cause some stomach upset? Is the suspense getting to you yet?
You're going to be frustrated with me because I am putting words to some of the thoughts that certainly march through my head, those that could rest quietly in your own minds when you see media coverage of the Boston tragedy. Here they are, in no particular order.
1. Look around and count your blessings before you complain. Again, I am relying on the unreliable media here, but there have been a handful of articles addressing the families of those victims that lost limbs but kept their lives. One woman in particular grieved over her two sons, both of whom were seriously injured. While I feel for this woman and her boys, and can sympathize (Really, I do. I've been running for the last 20 years; I can't imagine waking up and knowing that I'd no longer be able to do that.) that a runner without legs will never be the same, these two still have their lives. I am certain that the Richard, Campbell, and Lu families would give anything to have the life of their loved one restored, wounded or not.
2. Outpouring of support is lovely, but where are you when things go well? I really don't' like to point out the obvious negative nature of that comment, but I am. I love to see humankind at its best, which is often the case after tragedies. How many people have banded together after Newtown, Hurricane Katrina, and the 2004 tsunami in Indonesia? The ability of the American people to dig, and dig deep, into their lives and pockets in order to help one another is great. But I am sad to report the well-known fact that it takes something like this for us to do what's right: to open our hearts, homes, lives, and pocketbooks to a fellow human. We should be doing this all the time, not just when the chips are down. Because, quite frankly, the chips are down for many ordinary people every day. Count yourself lucky if you aren't one of them (which sort of goes back to #1).
3. The event will provide more fodder for the Obama haters. I'm not the President's biggest fan nor am I his greatest proponent, but I can guarantee that many people have already blamed what took on place on Monday on him. They'll take the idea and run to his doorstep that because he hasn't done enough to act against terrorism, accounts like this can happen. We already know that you can't blame one man and his party for the fact that some insane people fashioned and placed bombs at a running event. May I remind the outspoken Republicans to whom I refer that Bush was president when 9/11 happened.
4. In the end, whoever planned the act actually succeeded, but most of the casualties will be our own doing. The number of lives lost to the blasts was minimal; those that were hurt could have been much worse. So on the surface, it looks like Boston will come out, strong and fighting. I hope they do, and I hope the marathons of the future surge with participants, people that say screw you to the select few that try to bring others down. However, the people behind this might be smarter than we think. They know that Americans are our own worst enemies. That we have factions that battle daily and the chasm is growing wider every day. Between the people who pull in the gun debate issue after seeing this news to the groups that blame the president (see above) the American public loves a good argument and we fight with each other, our very own countrymen, on a scale that rivals no other. I'll say it again. We could possibly be our own worst enemies. Charity starts at home.
And there you have it. My two cents on the situation, thoughts that came to mind the moment I saw the news reports. I grieve for the families that lost their loved ones, and I hope the wounded can rest and recover peacefully. How great would it be to never see something like this happen again? Good luck to those running the London Marathon over the weekend.
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