Boston Strong
April 22, 2013
I have been trying to think of a way to write about
the tragedy that began unfolding just one week ago today in Boston… I
didn’t put it on hold on purpose, I just couldn’t sit down and put
together the words I wanted to use to express my
feelings. Writers block dosent happen often for me, as I write directly
from my thoughts, but in this case I wasn’t even sure what I was
thinking.
Boston. The Boston Marathon. Boylston Street.
Patriots Day. All such familiar words, words that I have connected to
for many years for various reasons. Those reasons have of course changed
over the years. Boston was the place we went to
on field trips in elementary school to go to the aquarium and over time
in my eyes became the hub of a social scene, the heart of
Massachusetts, where I went to school, where I worked for a time, where I
had lots of very special moments. The Boston Marathon
was an event I got to watch on TV as a child, thinking that these
people were “crazy” for running all that way. It morphed into a daytime
event that if I was lucky enough to have the day off to watch I would
gladly do so and cheer on strangers for hours as
I made memories on the sidelines. From that, I have come to identify
with the runners as they train under all conditions, raise money for
amazing causes and stand at the starting line with butterflies in their
stomach thinking “this is really going to happen.”
Boylston Street, how many times I have walked that road? I trudged
through the snow when I worked in the city, practically crawled to my
car late at night after class, strolled with friends on a Friday night
and walked as if I was on top of the world the morning
of my graduation from my masters at BAC. Of course Patriots Day, which
started as a great reason to start April School vacation and now,
understanding it’s a day to reflect on the heroes who fought at the
Battle of Lexington and Concord the first battles of
the American Revolutionary War…
… all that has now changed.
Hubs and I both had the day off from work. We had
gone to the gym together for the first time in months. I headed to a
massage and when I got home we had planned to head to the mall. I am in
search of a dress for a wedding and Hubs wanted
to spend the day with me. After finding nothing to get excited over,
we swung into one of the shoe stores to see if anything jumped out at
us. We split at the door and he headed to the mens and I to the womens.
Now, talk about “marketing,” the store we were
in had a TV right in the middle of the mens department. Smart! Well I
looked up and saw Hubs watching the TV, he gestured for me to come over
and had a look of shock on his face. That’s when I noticed the other
12-15 people in the store all standing with us
as we watched in total disbelief.
In just a few short moments along those streets
that so many of us have walked, ate, stumbled and ran, the happiest
moments in some people’s lives became a nightmare that no American can
rub their eyes enough to forget. Our precious city
of Boston, torn, just like that, in seconds. The streets stained with
blood and chaos as people ran for their lives and the brave first
responders, volunteers and even spectators ran IN towards the blast
sight. I couldn’t believe what my eyes were seeing.
We walked out of the store and were in shock I
guess you could say. We needed to go get something to eat, so we picked a
place and headed there. In the mean time I was on my phone trying to
be sure that my friends that were running the
race were safe via facebook… and at that time it was really registering
how horrific this was. Post after post of people who were looking for
people, or announcing that they were safe. There were people praying,
cursing and god only knows what else. We got
into the restaurant and thank god they had a TV. We were glued to it.
In the aftermath, we peeled ourselves away from the
TV and turned on a movie. My heart ached in an all too familiar way for
those who were injured and killed in a tragedy. The question of why was
swirling in my head over and over. Who could
do this? Why would they do this? What has happened to the city we live
in.
I am not going to recap what the next few days were
like. I can say they were somber and scary. The thought that someone
was out there… who know where, who could do this was frightening. With
the investigation going on I was reluctant to
listen to believe anything that I didn’t hear from an official press
conference. Yes, media and social media… this means you. There was
nothing more frustrating than hearing something be announced on the
radio only to see 5000 posts pop up on FB, as if people
want to be the first to report something… just as the media wants to be
the first station to announce something. Lots of what was being put out
there was false. Lots of mis-information being passed around. I really
wanted the media to back off and let the
very well trained law enforcement do their jobs. Yes, I know that
social media, videos and pictures were all a part of figuring out who
these scumb bags were… but there were plenty of “this is him” pictures
out there well before the police released the real
bombers pictures.
Thursday night I went to bed as normal. My alarm
went off and I kinda felt like I was in a dream. My usual music station
was playing AM talk… I heard something about gun fire and something or
another… in the 2 seconds it went off, then
rolled over. In my head I was thinking “what did I just hear” and
thought maybe I was just imagining what I heard. When it went off again 9
minutes later, there was music. I proceeded like a normal morning to my
car to get to CFW for 5:30 and as I started
driving my radios station cut out and went to AM. That’s when I heard
what had went on overnight. At that point, I was latched to the radio
all day long.
Again, no need to get into the entire day… scared,
confused, anxious… all those emotions surfaced as we all listened
intently at the office. People were streaming various news stations and
we were all talking about all the bits and pieces
we heard. We wrapped up here and all went on our way. Some home to
listen more and some to do what they had to do for the evening. I went
to my parents house, as I was heading to a birthday party for the
evening.
I am safe to assume you know how this ended.
BOSTON: The City that I am proud to call home. Home
to the most courageous law enforcement officers who put their lives on
the line to protect strangers, to which they swore they would do the
moment they became an officer of the law. A
place where military men and women proudly walk as they fight for us
all with no question, seeking no reward. Where the people stood
together and fought for those who died and were hurt in this tragic
accident. Never faltering. Never quitting.
THE BOSTON MARATHON: The largest and most
well-known Marathon in the world… which will continue to be the largest
viewed sporting even in New England. Where men and women will stand on
the starting line next year with heavy hearts, but
strong hearts. They will run, people will gather and cheer and the
memories of the victims of the 2013 Marathon Bombing will be honored and
celebrated.
BOYLSTON STREET: Will continue to be traveled. The
road will be packed with cars, the sidewalks filled with people night
and day. People will walk with a different tune. They will lay flowers
and teddy bears. They will think of those who
lost their lives on that road, on that spot outside their office
building. They might be extra nice to people from here on out. Maybe
they will hold a door open, take the time to help someone with their
bags… the lives lost on Boylston Street will help to
provide more fulfilling lives to those their deaths affected.
PATRIOTS DAY: In Massachusetts, we observe this
holiday to commemorate the battle of Lexington and Concord. I will never
forget where I was standing when the bombing happened at the Marathon… I
will remember and honor all those lost their
lives that day, who saved lives that day, who fought for their lives
and all those who acted as true Patriots that day.
WARMUP:
3 Rounds
- 2 X Gym Jog
- 10 Jumping Lunges
- 10 Grasshopper
- 10 ATW
- 5 Strict Pullups
TEAM:
Handstand Pushups - 5 Minutes
Max Effort First Min
3 OTM Last 4 Min
OLY: Squat Snatch
1 High Hang
1 Hang
1 Full
EMOTM for 5 Minutes (65lbs)
WOD: Quoin
10 Min AMRAP
- 10 Deadlift (105)
- 10 Push Jerk (105)
(6 + 10 Rx)
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