spread love

The events of yesterday are heartbreaking. How anyone could attack runners is so far beyond my understanding. I've been a part of the Chicago running community for only about six months now but it is such a beautiful expression of how I wish the world could be: supportive, loving, and only competing with yourself for betterment. These are the people that make the world a better place and I cannot begin to imagine why anyone would want to hurt them. I find myself looking to the rest of the world and waiting for them to climb on board. Everyone is saddened and outraged but the only words they seem to be able to find belong to others. I've seen the same Mr. Roger's quote, Patton Oswalt speech, and Leonard Bernstein quote from nearly everyone I know. What I don't see are the links to websites where you can send help, pleas for people to go donate blood, or a clear knowledge that anyone has learned anything new from another senseless attack on innocent lives. I sincerely wish that everyone would stop looking to famous people to know how to react. Our country's weakness is our inability to band together and use these tragedies to build a stronger unity. Yes, it is a wonderful thing to help the victims, pray for their families, but learn why things like this keep happening. There is such a lack of kindness in the world and we need to spread the love that we have to counteract the acts of hatred that happen so often. So, yes, donate money, send good thoughts, but do more than that. Smile at a stranger, work to prevent bullying, get active in ensuring that victims of abuse and mental disease can get the help that they need, infect the world with joy. The more we speak out against intolerance and hate, the more we can heal the wounds that tear apart the human race. Yes, bad things will still happen, innocent people will still sometimes suffer, but maybe, just maybe, we can start to heal some of the problem. Hold your loved ones close to you, let go of fear, and live a life that is worthy and enriches those around you.