My job is fairly uneventful. Mainly a 9 to 5 type of work with some travel thrown in the mix here and there. I can say it’s been pretty carefree and
uninteresting for the most part, that is until this week. It just so happens that I was scheduled to fly to Boston 24 hours after the bombing at the Boston Marathon two days ago. There was definitely a
pit in my stomach when I heard about this on the news on the drive home when it
happened. Panic and fear immediately
hit a city and an event that draws immense international focus and
attention. I was hoping to get an
email immediately saying that my conference was canceled. I was hoping that the hotel, which is
one block away from where the blasts happened, would say that everyone has been
evacuated and it is closed until further notice. But no, this wasn’t the case.
When I got to Boston I wasn’t quite sure what to
expect. Would there be mass chaos or
people everywhere in the throes of emotional breakdowns? No, this still
wasn’t the case. What I saw, and
still see around me here, is quite the opposite. While everyone is all too aware of the tragedies of two days
ago, the people of Boston are not defeated. The faces I see around me are still smiling, although maybe
not as much as they normally would.
People are still laughing and courteous, although maybe a little more
wary of their surroundings than they might otherwise. The city is still embracing one another, even the visitors
such as myself, as they would have otherwise. The spirit of Boston is still vibrant, and I think even to
the point of patting the rest of the nation on the back and saying “It’s going
to be okay.”
What does it mean to be tested and tried? What does it look like to get up when you
fall or you're pushed down? I’ve experienced triumph and
I’ve experienced failure and disappointment. I’ve been beaten down to the point where I almost haven’t
been able to get up. But this is
the first time since 9/11 I’ve witnessed first-hand an entire community stand
back up and brush itself off. I
don’t think it’s possible to fully understand the events that this city have
experienced in the last 48 hours, but I am grateful, and privileged, to witness
the recovery that is happening.
I’m glad I came, I’m proud of this city, God Bless America!
