Today my heart aches as I write this piece.   To be honest, I really can’t even comprehend where to begin.  To readers, you will never know the number of times I typed this piece…back and forth, erasing and deleting and trying to formulate the right words to express the depth of my sadness for the city of Boston and the resilient participants and spectators of the Boston Marathon.  I am realizing, more and more as I write, there are no words.

No words and ever express what Boston, its friends, family, and its neighbors experienced on April 15^th, which will now be a day remembered for its historic and tragic proportions.  A day that Boston celebrates as Patriots’ Day.  A day of pure celebration.  A day to be remembered for the triumph of competition will now be remembered as a day that rocked us all to our cores.  I sat back witnessing the news coverage of the events that day, thinking of friends and family of my own impacted directly.  A sister, whose career has been spent in marathon running, fearful and concerned for members of her staff that were left unaccounted for during that period.  Thankfully, all of be accounted for, safe and sound now.  A friend from years ago, running his first Boston Marathon, with his wife cheering him on, and later commenting they safely escaped the actions that would unfold by approximately 10 minutes.

And then, as stories unfold, we learn of those affected by the day’s events, that we have never had the pleasure of meeting, but suddenly feeling as if those people are family.  The poor gentleman that lost a son, his wife, and has a daughter badly injured.  I simply cannot imagine the emptiness in his heart as the days after continue to unfold.

For the last 117 years, Boston has hosted as what I can only understand (as I am no runner) as one of the most exciting and premier marathons in this county.  Runners work and train for years at a time for the opportunity to be invited to run the Boston Marathon.  It’s considered a dream for so many, while many of us will now only remember the nightmare of that day.

I was lucky enough to spend some time in Boston a few years ago, and must say, it’s a city I absolutely fell in love with.  We were welcomed with open arms to experience and share what Boston has to offer.  Many think Bostonians are a bit rough around the edges, but I don’t know if I can say I have ever been to another city that offered as much love and respect to its visitors, as it does every day to its friends and neighbors.  They love their Red Sox; a tradition that is one of the most formidable in baseball.  They are hockey fans that cheer their Bruins on with passion and pride.  They wear their Irish pride on their sleeves.  Long  story short though, they share that love and passion with all that will listen.

God speed Boston.  You will rise above the hate and pure terror displayed on your day of celebration and triumph.  You will conquer the tragedy of this now fateful day and I’m confident, that next year’s marathon will be one for the record books.  Boston, you are a city of love and peace that will once again outshine the events of April 15^th.  We are all… Boston.