#runforboston

In reflecting on yesterday's events which took place in Boston, my heart was grieved for those directly affected. I felt all too familiar feelings of when I heard news of the 9/11 attack and realized that although this was not at the same level, this attack would forever change our lives. 

When I think of acts of hate or violence, my initial thought is "humanity sucks". And while that may be true of some, or most, at times, one thing (and only this one thing) that I love about tragedy is that it strengthens us and unifies those who are affected by it. There is so much pride I have for my country, but in moments when I feel we are vulnerable and weak, I find myself even more confident in our ability to come together and be stronger than we ever were. 

After hearing the news yesterday, I thought, "What can I do? How can I show that I care? How can I somehow carry some of the burden , of the pain inflicted on my people?". I thought of sending out a tweet, something like "Deeply saddened by the events of today and my prayers are with Boston." or changing my facebook photo with a thoughtful phrase of some sort. I knew that although, however heartfelt my intentions were, those acts would not change the people around me and honestly would have little affect on myself. I wanted to feel the weight of this tragedy and not just for that day, but have it mark my life in some way. I knew I needed to do more.

So, I've chosen to run. I'm not usually a runner and in fact I rarely enjoy it. But, I thought what better way to honor pain, then to feel a little pain myself - obviously in a much different capacity. In honor of those who are no longer able to run, I will run. The Mr. and I have committed to a goal of one mile a day, for a total of 179 miles - one mile for each person who has fallen victim to this cruel act.

I know this may seem silly to some and you may think, "What is this going to accomplish?" and to that I would say, "probably nothing for you, but it'll change my life.". It will help me to get my eyes off of myself and onto others, hopefully sending a positive encouragement to whomever may read this. And honestly, doing something, is better than doing nothing. 

I believe we should all feel the weight of this attack on our people and our country. My way is simply to sacrifice my time and energy to run on their behalf. It may not affect the world, but it'll allow the event to affect my world.

Boston, we see you, we love you, and we're lifting you up.

xo. m