REACTION: Boston Strong

It's been over a decade since the United States has experienced anything close to the vile and dispicable violence that occured at the Boston Marathon on Monday afternoon. But the big difference between 9/11 and Monday is that on 9/11 there were no suspects to apprehend.

The past few days have been difficult to watch unfold, especially Monday and Tuesday as photos and videos played on loop on all major news channels. The horrifying visual of a ground littered with debris and severely injured and quite frankly mangled victims, and later photos of a ground stained red with the blood of the innocent brought everything to very real state quickly.

On 9/11, the sight of carnage was different. While the knowledge of death was palpable, the things we saw were mostly fire and destruction. It was stunning and it took a few days for it all to click for me. You just couldn't believe it happened.

But Monday was something else entirely. After so many years passing with terrorist attacks being thwarted or going awry (e.g. Times Square car bomb), the veil of safety was allowed to live. As cable news moved away from around the clock coverage of fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan and onto social issues, health care bills, elections, and filibusters. The United States forgot. We forgot that there are still people out there who are dangerous and lived with this cozy feeling like nothing could ever touch us again.

I see all too often via social media and hear in conversation "I've lost faith in humanity."

Despite how bleak the media and talking heads make the state of society seem, you cannot lose faith. It is the unfortunate job of mainstream "journalists" to make everything seem like a State of Emergency. Everything is the most horrible thing that could ever happen,  everyone is evil. All  it really does is pin Americans against one another, fighting amongst themselves over issues that the American people will always be divided on. 

In moments such as these though, through all of the tragedy and tears,  you see the good in America and its people. The actions of the minority of people, be it a bomber or a gunman, cannot and should not overshadow the kind hearts of our citizens as they do everything in their power to comfort their community. The stories pouring out of Boston about people running toward the blast to help victims rather than fleeing, people taking marathon runners into their homes, and running to the hospital to donate blood exemplify everything that is right with our country.

While it is unfortunate that it takes a horrifying event to see it, it always exists. Just because the media doesn't report it, it doesn't mean that people are not good and that they do not love and honor their communities and their country every day. 

The greatest kindness of all is that which is done out of the goodness of your heart and not for the attention and praise of doing a good deed. 

Boston will survive because its citizens will love one another. No matter what city or town, how close or how far from Boston, we are all Boston because we are all Americans. Nothing and no one can take that away from us. They can only make our bond stronger.

My thoughts and prayers are with the city of Boston, first responders, and law enforcement as they continue to secure their city.