I'll be honest, I'm hesitant to say too much about the saddening events at the Boston Marathon, but as a person of faith, I feel that I must try. My thoughts are filled with contradictory sentiments. I'm sad, pissed, confused, bewildered, dumbfounded, thankful, hopeful, somber, etc. Thankfully, all those whom I know personally that were in Boston for the marathon are okay. For this, I am grateful. I find myself seemingly more torn up over these events than I felt after other tragic events in recent history. I realize that this must be a result of my own interest in running and the running community at-large. I feel a deeper connection to the people surrounding this event because of our mutual bonds of fitness, goal-reaching, and physical/mental endurance. This last bond of physical and mental endurance shared among runners is arguably the most important reason why I believe that our nation will recover (yet again) from such an unfortunate circumstance.
In this blog, my goal is to always share stories and events that help us sense the Spirit of God in our lives. When terrible things happen, naturally, we have our doubts about where God is in the midst of it all and why God would allow things like this to happen. Sadly, I do not have concrete answers to queries like these, but what I do have is a lens of hope through which we can try to view these events. This lens comes from my own wrestling with events such as the Boston marathon tragedy. I share this lens with you through some simple statements of faith:
- I believe that God is good.
- I believe that all good things come from God.
- I believe that our free will is a remarkable blessing that God gives all humans.
- I believe that this free will allows us to make both good and bad decisions that always affect ourselves and others.
- I believe that God is most happy when we are at peace with God and one another.
What do you believe? How are you promoting peace to yourself and others in your life?
I conclude my post with two wonderfully relevant quotes from the calm, kind, soft-spoken, television host from the youth of many of us, Mr. Rogers:
"When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, 'Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.' To this day, especially in times of 'disaster,' I remember my mother's words, and I am always comforted by realizing that there are still so many helpers--so many caring people in this world."
"There is no normal life that is free of pain. It's the very wrestling with our problems that can be the impetus for our growth."
Let us all grow together, and as my sister reminded me yesterday, we must continue to run the race in our world against evil. So true.
May we be ever-faithful, ever-mindful, and ever-joyful.
Very wise and inspirational words, Drew.
ReplyDeleteMi amigo Drew de LS-WHO: The most inspiring thing I saw during this coverage was the view of Americans doing what Americans do best. Running toward the sound of chaos placing themselves in harm's way for the good of people they didn't even know. Regardless of our political, religious, and other persuasions and affiliations....that "thing" that unites us as a people more firmly than any other, is our desire to render aid and comfort to those in need. As much as we may differ in our views on so many issues, let us never lose that single shining quality and let us condemn those who would manipulate or use that quality for their own political gain or to advance a political agenda. Kudos and humble thanks to the Americans who did us proud in a moment of chaos and injury and death.
ReplyDeleteGLENN :-)