By Ramona Flightner/ @ramonaflightner
Inconceivable. Surreal. Incomprehensible. These and many more were the words used by my friends, family and me yesterday as we tried to understand the horror that occurred at the Boston Marathon. And the overarching question, always, was “Why?”
I am fortunate that everyone I hold dear was safe. That my friends who had been in the area were not harmed physically. The damage, and one hopes it is more fleeting than permanent, that this has done to our spirits is harder to discern. And yet, it is there.
I tend to avoid downtown Boston on marathon weekend. For some reason, this past weekend I ventured into Boston and, for the first time, saw the finish line. I saw the hoards of marathon runners and their families and friends as they walked up and down Boylston Street, laughing, joking, and imbuing the area with a festive, celebratory spirit.
As one of my friends said, it is one of her favorite times in Boston because it brings out the best of Boston. People actually talk to each other on the T (Boston’s subway). They stop to give directions. It’s a side of Boston not often seen on busy commuting days. And all the more precious now as suspicion and fear attempts to rule our spirits.
My hope for Boston and Bostonians is that we will not allow fear to rule us. I know that this may seem an impossible dream. And yet, I am reminded of a photo I saw last night on the Internet. It said something like, “Darkness does not repel darkness. Only light does.” I am hopeful that, in the not too distant future, we will shake off fear and allow ourselves to venture forth and congregate once again, in the light.
