Praying for Boston

The events of yesterday have left me speechless, stunned and to be completely honest, sick to my stomach.  I'm not sure how to process or move forward when all I can think about is that sweet, little, 8 year old boy cheering for his daddy at the end of a race.   I'm not sure what it is, maybe unprocessed grief with losing my own mom, Finley, that I work in a school, that the love of my life took up running marathons as a hobby in the last year, or the feeling of complete helplessness and lack of control, but all of it is weighing so heavy.   So I'm going to write as a way to process and hopefully as a way to remind myself that amongst all of the terror, confusion and hurt in this world there is hope and peace.

For those of us who have ever run a race or cheered on family and friends, you know these feelings,  relief, joy, dedication, accomplishment, inspiration and love.  All those months of training and commitment have finally paid off.  It is so emotional and truly incredible!  The cheers and encouragement from complete strangers yelling out your bib number as you're about to give in to a nasty hill...the running community really is an incredible one.  One of my proudest moments was watching Barrett cross the finish line last October when he completed his first marathon.

I have been reminded repeatedly in the last 24 hours of the tenacity of the human spirit.  There is good in this world, even amongst tragedy.  There have been countless accounts and stories of marathon runners finishing 26.2 miles and the continuing to run to local hospitals to donate blood.  Runners that have vowed to return and run again, refusing to give into the fear that was created by cowards.  The kindness and selfless acts of strangers, those that ran towards the crowd to offer aid, sacrificing their own safety to rescue others.   At the end of the day I cling to these stories and the promises of heaven.   

I have told you these things, so that you may have peace.  In this world you will have trouble.  But take heart!  I have overcome the world. -John 16:33.  

So today, I'm going to believe there is good in this world and I'm going to run.

Praying for Boston!
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