What a week! It's hard to believe that last week at this time, we were all oblivious to the crazy events that would unfold. First there was the earth-shattering news of the Boston Marathon bombings on Monday, followed closely by the Ricin-laced envelopes sent to President Obama and a Mississippi Senator. Then, a fertilizer factory in West, Texas decimated a tiny town with barely 2700 people. While we were trying to take all of this in, Boston was shut down for essentially two days as events we previously only witnessed in Jason Bourne movies played out on our television sets.
By the end of the week, my friends and I were emotionally exhausted and we were not even living in the cross-hairs of all this drama. We were merely spectators of unspeakable and unimaginable tragedy.
When tragedy strikes, it is easy to think of everything that has gone wrong. You think of the sadness, the senseless violence. You think of lives that were changed in an instant. I found myself leaking many times this week as I tried to take it all in. It can feel hopeless. You can feel cynical (or worse, fearful) about the world in which we live. You can drive yourself crazy trying to make sense of it all.
I, however, thought much more about all of the good that I witnessed this week. There were the marathon runners who went immediately from the race to the hospital, offering themselves as blood donors for the victims. There were the first responders and civilians who helped people in so many ways, providing protection, care, and safety in a time of danger. You saw it in both Texas and Boston. The heroes sharply outnumbered the villains.
I believe it is because our inherent nature is to help; to find the good in the world and, more importantly, to be the good in the world. It is not always easy. In fact, sometimes it is a glorified mind game. Fake it till you make it.
During the year of Charlotte's illness, and even in the months and years to follow, I have heard many people use the word "hero" to describe me. I feel honored by the moniker but sometimes it is a tough label to own. Many days, I don't feel like a hero. I feel like a person who just stepped up to the challenge and did what needed to be done. Many before me (and many to follow) have performed far braver acts or feats of strength. At the same time, I think we all have that opportunity to be a hero to someone. Just by making the choice to face the danger, to fight the fire (real or symbolic), or to wake up and face another day, we can be heroes. More importantly, we can be the good that makes life worth living even in times of challenge.
Let's make this week a good one, shall we?
By the end of the week, my friends and I were emotionally exhausted and we were not even living in the cross-hairs of all this drama. We were merely spectators of unspeakable and unimaginable tragedy.
When tragedy strikes, it is easy to think of everything that has gone wrong. You think of the sadness, the senseless violence. You think of lives that were changed in an instant. I found myself leaking many times this week as I tried to take it all in. It can feel hopeless. You can feel cynical (or worse, fearful) about the world in which we live. You can drive yourself crazy trying to make sense of it all.
I, however, thought much more about all of the good that I witnessed this week. There were the marathon runners who went immediately from the race to the hospital, offering themselves as blood donors for the victims. There were the first responders and civilians who helped people in so many ways, providing protection, care, and safety in a time of danger. You saw it in both Texas and Boston. The heroes sharply outnumbered the villains.
I believe it is because our inherent nature is to help; to find the good in the world and, more importantly, to be the good in the world. It is not always easy. In fact, sometimes it is a glorified mind game. Fake it till you make it.
During the year of Charlotte's illness, and even in the months and years to follow, I have heard many people use the word "hero" to describe me. I feel honored by the moniker but sometimes it is a tough label to own. Many days, I don't feel like a hero. I feel like a person who just stepped up to the challenge and did what needed to be done. Many before me (and many to follow) have performed far braver acts or feats of strength. At the same time, I think we all have that opportunity to be a hero to someone. Just by making the choice to face the danger, to fight the fire (real or symbolic), or to wake up and face another day, we can be heroes. More importantly, we can be the good that makes life worth living even in times of challenge.
Let's make this week a good one, shall we?
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