Yesterday was a busy day for us...in the afternoon. So, in spite of the fact that I had my cousins' bib numbers and had wanted to keep track of them as they ran the Boston Marathon, I really couldn't. By the time I could check on them via the Marathon's site, they were long done. They both did very well, finishing 1114 and 1632 (out of 23,336 who started, 17,580 who finished- honestly- I have rather a lot of runners on my mom's side of the family- (thankfully, it didn't infect me) and they are good and I knew it but I didn't know they were that good). They're both just barely in their 30's with families- little kids, one has a newborn- so I'm just really glad they are fast, that they are distance runners up to the race. Really glad.
Because by the time the finish line exploded, literally, they were on their way back to the Midwest and their homes with their families still intact.
A family friend was also running. And she's good and I've known it for a long time. She started the race about an hour after my cousins did. So when I finally got to my computer last night, I looked her up on the marathon site and found her. A little pink avatar running towards the city of Boston. Nearly there, actually. I did other stuff. Got ready for bed and thought- Wonder where A is now? I'll just check once more before shutting down for the night. And she was so close. Another 20 min, I thought, and she'll be there! Done! Who wants to go to bed now? I'm gonna watch her cross the line...or at least watch her avatar do that. So I read some other stuff and came back to the site every few minutes. And she was moving along. Had picked up her pace again and was at the Apple Store on the map*. What looked like about 2 1/2 blocks from the line. And then she just stayed there. And a thought flitted through my head- I hope nothing happened, hope she didn't get knocked over or something like that.
20 min later, she was still there. So I hopped onto facebook (love it or hate it, f/b last night was the meeting place, in the end, for all of us wanting to know just where and how A was). Of course, it took no more than a few seconds to realize that, in fact, 'something' had happened.
And from across the ocean, my blood pressure and heart-rate just went right up.
I read what was available online (not a lot) and waited. There was no more thought of going to bed. Should I have not checked once more? I don't know. Truly. But this family goes way back with our family. We were friends as kids; our parents were friends. We did Thanksgiving together- not every year but several times. She and Mom are 2 days apart in age. She came to see me just before I left the States, spent a night with us. We all reconnected. She's more than just an acquaintance, in the end, and knowing that she was in that group of as-yet-unaccounted-for people... I'll admit it- I was afraid for her, for her kids, her grandkids. I was wide awake and waiting, waiting, waiting.
I didn't go to bed. I couldn't. Not then. There was a group of people commenting on f/b posts, trying to find her. The sister of the lady who, with her husband, was at the line waiting for her was 'there', too.
It took hours. I'm not just sure how long, 2 hours anyway, before there was, finally, a peep (on f/b) from her. And it was longer before the people looking for her finally got to her and before her kids were finally able to talk to her. And in the end, her danger was probably more from the toll the race takes on your body and then not being able to take care of those physical needs in a timely way than of actual proximity to the bombs.
From over here, I was impressed with how quickly there were websites up and running to track down people- both runners and spectators. But it's a chilling feeling to go on one of those sites and find a post for your friend made by her son but no news yet.
And really- I cannot comprehend the kind of person who could actually place bombs like that. We are in touch with humanity all the time; we see, maybe more than some, the saddest, the most discouraging things. And yet, this kind of thing- it is monstrous and incomprehensible. Regardless of how you feel about religion, about faith, about those kinds of things- the world really is full of people who couldn't do this kind of thing. But unfortunately, there are a few who apparently can. One article I read today called them cowards. And I would have to agree.
And I'm so glad that, in spite of being on track to finish her fastest marathon yet, she wasn't just a little faster this time.
*Zooming closer, I don't think she was actually quite there yet but that's what it looked like.
Because by the time the finish line exploded, literally, they were on their way back to the Midwest and their homes with their families still intact.
A family friend was also running. And she's good and I've known it for a long time. She started the race about an hour after my cousins did. So when I finally got to my computer last night, I looked her up on the marathon site and found her. A little pink avatar running towards the city of Boston. Nearly there, actually. I did other stuff. Got ready for bed and thought- Wonder where A is now? I'll just check once more before shutting down for the night. And she was so close. Another 20 min, I thought, and she'll be there! Done! Who wants to go to bed now? I'm gonna watch her cross the line...or at least watch her avatar do that. So I read some other stuff and came back to the site every few minutes. And she was moving along. Had picked up her pace again and was at the Apple Store on the map*. What looked like about 2 1/2 blocks from the line. And then she just stayed there. And a thought flitted through my head- I hope nothing happened, hope she didn't get knocked over or something like that.
20 min later, she was still there. So I hopped onto facebook (love it or hate it, f/b last night was the meeting place, in the end, for all of us wanting to know just where and how A was). Of course, it took no more than a few seconds to realize that, in fact, 'something' had happened.
And from across the ocean, my blood pressure and heart-rate just went right up.
I read what was available online (not a lot) and waited. There was no more thought of going to bed. Should I have not checked once more? I don't know. Truly. But this family goes way back with our family. We were friends as kids; our parents were friends. We did Thanksgiving together- not every year but several times. She and Mom are 2 days apart in age. She came to see me just before I left the States, spent a night with us. We all reconnected. She's more than just an acquaintance, in the end, and knowing that she was in that group of as-yet-unaccounted-for people... I'll admit it- I was afraid for her, for her kids, her grandkids. I was wide awake and waiting, waiting, waiting.
I didn't go to bed. I couldn't. Not then. There was a group of people commenting on f/b posts, trying to find her. The sister of the lady who, with her husband, was at the line waiting for her was 'there', too.
It took hours. I'm not just sure how long, 2 hours anyway, before there was, finally, a peep (on f/b) from her. And it was longer before the people looking for her finally got to her and before her kids were finally able to talk to her. And in the end, her danger was probably more from the toll the race takes on your body and then not being able to take care of those physical needs in a timely way than of actual proximity to the bombs.
From over here, I was impressed with how quickly there were websites up and running to track down people- both runners and spectators. But it's a chilling feeling to go on one of those sites and find a post for your friend made by her son but no news yet.
And really- I cannot comprehend the kind of person who could actually place bombs like that. We are in touch with humanity all the time; we see, maybe more than some, the saddest, the most discouraging things. And yet, this kind of thing- it is monstrous and incomprehensible. Regardless of how you feel about religion, about faith, about those kinds of things- the world really is full of people who couldn't do this kind of thing. But unfortunately, there are a few who apparently can. One article I read today called them cowards. And I would have to agree.
And I'm so glad that, in spite of being on track to finish her fastest marathon yet, she wasn't just a little faster this time.
*Zooming closer, I don't think she was actually quite there yet but that's what it looked like.
I realize I've been so protected from some much. I can't even comprehend what some are dealing with right now. I hope if I'm ever faced with something so tragic & life changing I can have the strength. I guess you do what you have to do and there's many who help you. I feel almost silly, or foolish, knowing I live in this little innocent existence that might change that any moment. I want to value it.
ReplyDeleteI have been overwhelmed by the care and concern and love that has been showered on me these last 3 days. Yes, I was there! Almost at the Finish Line... only 2K or a half mile away! The terrorist( there is no other word for it) who did this ruined and took lives on Monday. They robbed many of us of a victory of crossing the Finish Line when we were sooooo close! However, they cannot take away the spirt of goodness and kindness of runners and spectators. When we came to an abrupt STOP and were all standing there bewildered and shivering, one lady began shaking and myself and 3 other ladies and one man just closely covered her with our bodies until she could stop. someone came thru the crowd with water and another with garbage bags. I did not experience any fear and did not see any of the carnage, in fact I was quite numb..... My terror was for my children who already lost one parent way too young and that they would be worried for me. It was a helpless feeling to not be able to contact anyone because I couldn't get to my phone. The caring policeman who posted on his own personal phone to my Fbook was a wonderful help and that media enabled my daughter thru networking to finally be able to talk to me about 2 1/2 hours later when my friends found me. This was an evil thing by an evil spirit. I am thankful to God that He sent his angel to protect me and my friends who were at the 26 mile marker waiting for me and we were safe.
ReplyDeleteI've thought often of S&D being that close to the horror of it and coming away uninjured. Gives you shivers.
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