Feeling the Love

Dear Universe,

It has been a draining and emotional week.

The tragedy at the Boston Marathon has left everyone heartbroken and shocked.

But, in the midst of this I’ve seen such kindness and thoughtfulness that it has been uplifting.

As soon as the news hit that day, I was inundated with phone calls, texts and emails from family and friends from all corners of the world. Everyone wanted to know if I was okay, not sure if I was in Boston that day or not.

It was so emotional to feel the love coming at me from all angles, non-stop. I felt so grateful to be cared for that way.

I in turn was checking on students, colleagues, friends and they were checking on me. It’s funny how quickly we can be reminded that all the little things we stress over don’t matter. We all just wanted to be sure everyone was safe.

I feel especially saddened for my students, many of whom are far away from home, who are simply trying to finish the last few classes of the semester. To see them put on brave smiles, coming to class to be together, to try and be “normal” and do work, has made me feel immensely proud.

Their strength is inspiring.

Two nights ago my friend asked me to go to a Boston Bruins game with him. I couldn’t make it, but seeing the footage on the news yesterday, made me wish I could have. Fans swayed American flags in the air, some even had bigger flags wrapped around them.

The moment that touched me most? As the singer belted out the National Anthem, the crowd jumped in and took over. Every person in the stadium sang, tears in their eyes—tears in mine. The song resonated, seeming to heal the broken hearts, even momentarily.

My friend told me yesterday, “You should have been there. It was so emotional.”