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| As close to the finish line as we could get April 16, 2013 |
I live in Boston MA USA, it's been nearly a year since the Boston Marathon Bombing. Here in my home town- certainly in my personal life experience, this was one of the most damaging and costly, (in terms of lives, economic impact, and fear) events I've witnessed. The bombing was in a part of our city that I've spent nearly every day walking and enjoying for more than half of my life. I worked at a financial services company in the Back Bay for over a decade; many of my friends, colleagues and family I feared were in immediate danger during the event. I still haven't processed all of my own reflections on how I was affected. I was working in the John Hancock Tower during the 9/11 attacks, and was unable to get home - only about a mile and a half away- but inaccessible without having a car or available cab when there was no MBTA service available that day. I found a local restaraunt that opened early for others like me, and a friend and I sat at the bar, surrounded by other people who also were unable to leave the Back Bay as we watched the events unfold. The South Tower had collapsed only twenty minutes before we arrived to our seats, and I still remember the day in sharp detail.
I thought would be the limit of fear that I could ever experience for the rest of my life. What event could possibly happen, that could be worse? The Marathon Bombing was qualitatively different, in terms of my experience of fear- there was blood on the streets I frequented - personally know and care for who may have been hurt. Fortunately, the impact to those I know personally was largely psychological; I hope in the days since that happened my friends, and the many other people who have been hurt by the event have found healing.
Elsewhere on the Web: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marathon_bombing
