massachusetts’ public schools are off this week. on monday, the first official day of break, we went to rockport after considering heading into boston to cheer on the marathon runners. we decided not to, crowds and parking and all that jazz, and had a low-key day instead. i’ve been to the marathon in the past. it’s an amazing event, one of those sort of “i loooove the human race!” sort of events that gives you the chills and makes you a little weepy. might even make you vow, “i will run next year if it is the last thing i do!” just because you desperately want to be a part of it. i’m pretty sure i did vow that last time i watched (but have yet to actually follow through). strangers cheering on strangers as they hand them an orange slice, fathers pushing their sons in wheelchairs across the finish line, passersby holding signs looking for their loved ones, fatigued and sweaty, hoping to yell loud enough so they are heard. it’s just one of those events full of such good energy, such happiness.
i was driving home from rockport when i called steve to report how fun our day was and he immediately asked if i’d heard. of course, i hadn’t been checking anything and it was only about 3:15 at this point. he told me what happened, and soon after my phone stopped working–making calls anyway–as all the service in the area was shut down. i got lots of texts though (thanks to you guys, you know who you are) checking on our whereabouts.
of course, i’m glad we didn’t go. but people did go, people were there taking part in this great event, on what was a seriously beautiful day in the city. a perfect day for a marathon. energy was high and then there was chaos. there’s so many things you want to say but there really aren’t words sufficient. maddening, awful, horrific, sad. it’s all of those things and more. you say them all but they never really get the point across and you end up feeling trite. and you end up feeling like you almost don’t deserve to be so sad as you read the news and listen to the radio and feel it all because it didn’t happen to you. it happened to a lot of people in boston on monday though. i wish that the headlines the next day were of the winners who trained their butts off to run. i wish all the people who’d trained, for months now, had gotten to finish the race. i hate that this race has gone on perfectly for 116 years and on the 117th year something absolutely awful happens that is going to be remembered forever and make people question going to this race or, really, any other crowded event in the future. of course, we can’t and shouldn’t let ourselves be ruled by fear but will it be in the back of our minds? probably. for awhile anyway.
it sounds bleak… this post, this future. the fact that, as a country (as a world), we have these horrific things happen every few months it seems and… that’s our reality? but god, the cops rushing in to help, the medics (and random marathon-watchers who happened to be nearby) wrapping wounds, the doctors and staff at the hospitals (such good hospitals! several of the nation’s greatest hospitals all placed within miles of where this happened which no doubt is responsible for the low number of deaths), runners finishing the race and going straight to hospitals to give blood, donations in the form of money, food, or couches to sleep on. yes, yes, there is good. i love how the good rushes in after these things. i feel like i’ve read that mister rogers quote about looking for the good about thirty seven times in the last 24 hours and, i’ll be honest, it’s hard to look for the good sometimes but that’s our only choice. cause these things aren’t going away. so what else can we do? that gandhi quote is one of my favorites when things like this happen — about how if a few drops in the ocean are dirty, the whole ocean isn’t dirty. it’s true. i need to remind myself of that. it even feels trite to need to wrap this post up with a reminder of the good, but i’m an eternal optimist i guess. i want to believe good wins in the end.
to all of the people who ran, who watched, who were hurt, or who lost loved ones, the doctors, the staff, all of the helpers, the blood donors, everyone: we’re with you.
such a beautiful post bridge
You're making me weepy before the day even starts.
Great post.
Such a beautiful post. I was pissed all Monday because my office in the city remained open, and I couldn't watch the marathon with my friends. I thought about calling out sick and going anyway, but I'm so happy and blessed that I didn't. Our city is strong. We'll rally.
melissa, so glad you're ok. and your last two lines are very true. 🙂
Very well written Bridgett very honest & heart felt very real. A sad day. I have been looking for your post hoping that you were all ok. Glad you had a nice day in Rockport.
thank you sally!
Well said Bridget.
So glad you went up north for the day instead of heading into the city. I love Rockport so much. Reminds me of summer and ice cream. The best.
We did go to the Marathon on Monday. We were away from the finish line, thankfully, near Coolidge Corner, but still. It's incredible scary to think of all the people who were down by the finish– and that I was standing at that very spot cheering on my friends just two years ago. I'm sad for Boston and for the runners, and for Patriots day, which I'm sure will never quite be the same. But I'm proud of it, too. So very proud of it's people and of this community. Boston is still (and always will be) the best.
agreed, anna. the good stories i've heard make me love this place even more. and so glad you're ok.
beautiful post about such a scary event, and beautiful pictures on such a sad day.
I feel like I was in the same boat as you. There was a large chance I could have been there but I wasn't. It was the last thing I was expecting to happen and I was shocked when I heard. All I can do is listen to the radio and watch tv about the coverage.
The whole things makes me sad and upset. Just like you said. I live in Oklahoma and was just a young 13 year old girl when the OKC bombing happened. It is so scary what can happen in this world but I agree that we can't live in fear. Prayers go out to Boston.
i was thinking about you. i had just seen your pictures on instagram in the morning, then wrote a post, and when i check in a little later… the world had been jolted… in such an awful way.
thank you torrie!
Thank you.
"i wish that the headlines the next day were of the winners who trained their butts off to run. i wish all the people who'd trained, for months now, had gotten to finish the race."
I was there, my mom reached the 26 mile marker and never got to finish. Its infuriating hearing her called a "novice" runner.
your mom has trained way harder and run way more miles than the majority of us ever will. training for a marathon in and of itself is a seriously impressive feat. no shame. did you hear about the event going on at kenmore sq. this weekend? to finish the race? maybe she'd be interested? either way, kudos to your mom!
I love this blogging community. I don't know anyone in Boston personally, but when I heard the news my thoughts went instantly to you, Steve, and the kids and I prayed you guys weren't anywhere near the event. I'm so glad to hear positive news from you, and my heart just breaks for everyone that was hurt by this careless act. I can't wrap my mind around situations like this and I don't think I will ever be able to, but I do know that what you say is absolute truth. We have to seek out the good, because evil can NEVER win. It will never, ever win.
christina, thanks so much for thinking of us on monday. this blogging community is pretty amazing. and you're right with what you said there 🙂
I hadn't heard anything about it yet, Monday was such a busy day for me, and I was checking facebook. I saw my moms cousins status (who I had seen many statuses leading up to this day that she was training for it) was "I'm not hurt, but I did not finish. I was 1km from the finish when it happened." I just thought maybe she fell or something. Then I went on twitter and saw/read what really happened. Absolutely awful.
It happens more often than every few months. Honestly, we are so lucky to live in this country where this is considered a horrific attack – and it is!
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-125820/US-bomb-kills-30-Afghan-wedding.html
The very same day we bombed civilians at an Afghan wedding. It's all so awful.
you're right. how many things we don't hear on the news or they don't make headlines (or even the front page) is frightening. especially when the US is responsible. and that, for many, living in fear (like we're experiencing a tiny bit of) is a serious reality. that story is awful.
beautiful pictures and a beautiful message.
Bridget,
I visit your blog regularly, but I rarely have time to comment. First, you and your family are absolutely beautiful, and I love reading about your little adventures with the kids. They are precious!
And Secondly, I agree with your sentiments regarding the bombing. This past year has been a rough one for our country. Every couple of months there's a natural disaster (i.e. Hurricane Sandy) or some horrible tragedy happens (i.e. Newtown, Ct, the Boston Marathon and the ricin laced letters Sen. Wicker and President Obama received.) America needs a break. Like you I want to believe good wins in the end.:)
I blog over at mandibles.net and wellreadwife.com
Perfectly said.
Well said Bridget.
It was surreal for us, we were on Ben Yehudah with most of Jerusalem. Spray snow and blow up bats and glitter and all of the sudden someone in our group who works for the news got a notification. We were all ex-pats, standing in the middle of the street- stunned. Of all things too – to be in a country celebrating it's life amidst terror. Completely surreal.
Great post! You have a way with words that just grabs me by every fiber of my being
happymedley.blogspot.com
Great post. Believe that good will win in the end and it will. As awful as the past several months have been as a fellow New Englander- I try to follow Fred Roger's mother's advice and "look for the helpers". I believe there will always be helpers and as long as there are, good wins.
thanks for your words. i was there cheering on a friend and it really was unbelievable — tragic and sad and horrible. but also, there were incredible displays of the beauty of the human spirit. i'm not sure if you've heard of a column on runner's world called mile markers, but the words in it this week were amazingly poignant. i've included them here (http://kristinwhatch.com/2013/04/18/boston-marathon/) as a reminder to myself.
her accounts of the day… getting off the train, not knowing why, eerily quiet. it's crazy. i cannot even imagine what it'd have been like if i were there.
thanks for sharing and so glad you are safe.
this is a beautiful post. what a crazy week it has been. at least now the suspects are under control and now boston can focus on healing. glad your family is okay – looks like a great way to spend any day.
-chelsea
chelsandthecity.blogspot.com