I didn’t want to watch the video of the explosions at the Boston Marathon today. I didn’t want to see that, to feel that.
But I did.
Because it deserves to be seen. Because I should feel it.
Because I should take a few minutes out of my day to just try to understand the pain, the fear, the terror of the people who were there when it happened.
I should give a few minutes of my day to try to understand the loss–of life, of a sense of security–of my fellow Americans–in Boston and across the country.
Because those twin bombings should and do call to mind for me and make me reflect upon the twin towers and the tragedy of 9/11, where I sat similarly shocked watching first one plane and then the other explode into the towers.
Because, on this Patriot’s Day, always the day of the Boston Marathon, I should and do remember that it is a day that commemorates the opening battles of the American Revolutionary War, the battles of Lexington and Concord, both held on April 19, 1775 . It is a very American day. It should and does remind me why I’m proud to be an American and that, in the words of our President, “On days like this there are no Republicans or Democrats—we are Americans, united in concern for our fellow citizens.”
But also it should and does make me remember the victims of the Oklahoma City Bombing (April 19th 1993).
And it should and does remind me about the lives lost at Waco (April 19th 1995).
It should and does remind me of the victims at Columbine on April 20th 1999.
It should and does make me recall the Virginia Tech massacre of April 16th 2007.
And it should and does make me question why this senseless violence–senseless loss–continues to occur, year after year after year, why it continues to plague our society.
It should make my heart hurt. And it does.
Wider than the Sky 
So well put. I kept checking in on the news today, hoping no one was killed, hoping. To hear that there was an eight year old who died or that ten amputations have happened due to injuries just makes me so sad and ANGRY. I also have to remember that there is more beauty and humanity in this world than evil; however, that doesn’t seem possible when tragedies like this keep happening. Hold tight to the ones you love!