Tuesday, April 16, 2013

On Being a Runner


April 15, 2013

Patriot's Day in Boston.  The beloved Boston Marathon.  An event so much like every other marathon, yet, in the same breath, so uniquely different.

The attacks that transpired yesterday were an attack on freedom.  Be it a domestic or foreign source of origin, it was an attack on the American Spirit.

As a running community, support and steadfastness are never in short supply.  Any reason we can find to run, be it a way to help a local food pantry, raise money for a cancer patient, drum up support for our fallen heroes, we are there, doing sometimes what is the only thing we know how to do.  We run.  Some fast, some slow, some middle of the pack.  But we run.  We don't care where our fellow runner stands politically, spiritually, or financially.  We only care.  We share a bond that very few others share.

I have met many people, discovered that they are runners, and while we may have no other thing in common, we run.  Together.  Even if we aren't together.  We race, together.  Even if they run a 6 min pace and I run a 12 min pace, we are connected by the spirit of the run.

Many have noted that the attack in Boston was on runners.  And it was.  But what's more, they attacked those who support runners.  The ones who might never run, who may have run once upon a time, the ones who make it possible for US to run.  The attack was directed at our support, our life line, the very ones who sacrifice the most to allow us running folks to do what we do. 

While we runners will do most anything to support one another, we will do even more for them, the unsung heroes in our world.  There are no bounds.  There are no limits.  There are no excuses for what evil has done.  There is no explanation that will suffice.  Evil is evil, but God is God, and Truth, Freedom, Peace, and Love ALWAYS prevail.  Always.

However you choose to honor those affected by the senseless, selfish, evil that took place yesterday, never allow your heart to be tainted by what occurred.  Allow it to grieve, allow it to heal.    But don't let evil win. 

Romans16:20
The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus be with you.

Pax

5 comments:

  1. These are great words you've chosen to capture our community - "we are connected by the spirit of the run"
    I am grateful to be connected by the spirit of the run and the Spirit of the Lord.
    Thanks Karen.

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  2. It was the spirit of the run that brought us together, friend. Your words are wise in this one-evil exits, but so does good.

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  3. No, it had nothing to do with runners, marathons or people who enjoy watching runners. Sorry to disagree, but dangit I just posted about this very thing last week.

    The suspects chose an event in the city they lived in knowing full well that the body count of the dead and/or injured would be high.

    Nothing about this was due to hating runners.

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  4. Hey June,
    Nice to see you. Not sure if you read through my entire post, I was pretty clear that this attack was directed at more than the runners, it was evil, it was directed at people that were out there supporting the runners. It was directed at the citizens of the city, the country, and the world.
    Hate is hate. Evil is evil. Nothing else can explain who, what, where or why some people choose that path. The point of my post was to state that the spirit of Love will prevail.

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