Boston

I started writing a post before I left for work this morning. It was going to be a funny little story about a recent family shopping trip. All afternoon, I told myself "You have to finish writing tonight. You have to write because you feel good when you tell a story." Now? Now I just feel emotional and raw, so please excuse me.

My heart breaks for all of the people hurt today at the Boston Marathon. I hurt for them. I feel sadness for them. I ache for their friends and family. I yearn for a way to ease their pain. 

Why do I care? Because I'm a human being and we humans are a compassionate species. We feel for people whether friend or foe, neighbor or stranger. We should anyway - we should feel and we should care because someone, somewhere, is in despair. 

Yet, almost immediately after news broke about Boston there were people blaming the President, questioning how much longer US citizens would get to keep their guns, remarking that the government was probably behind this tragedy to put fear in the citizens and control us. Really?! Innocent lives were lost - that's a little more important than political preferences or weapons rights, and certainly more important than conspiracy theories!

Care, people! This is bigger than you! People died - a child died - and you're worried about something other than the people who are suffering? It's disgusting and it's ignorant! You're better than that because you, too, are a human being above all else!

 I try to remain unbiased on this blog, but being human, even I have my limits as to how much disappointment I can handle. The fact that fellow Americans immediately think of themselves when hearing the news of something like the Boston Marathon bombings makes my heart hurt. It hurts in a way that makes me pity those who cannot see past their own needs and desires, those who are too bitter with hatred to mourn for what has been taken away from another. That being said, I'll wrap up my post with just a few more words.

To those in Boston: I may only be one person, but my prayers are with you and yours in your time of suffering. If that comforts only one person, then it's worth it.

To you, cynical Americans, a simple reminder: be kind, be caring, be humble. Be human.