Greg White prays that the violence in Boston does not claim our futures.
Voltaire said, “As long as people believe in absurdities they will continue to commit atrocities.” I wish I could fly to Paris, dig him up, shake him violently back to life and ask him to re-write that to include hope for humanity. The hopeful sunrise springs up, day after day, with at least the promise of hope.
I don’t really wish Voltaire back alive. He would be disappointed that his quote rings true. He would love Twitter, though.
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They—as all children—are our hope. I don’t don’t want these Boston events to harm their spirit, or make them lose faith in making the world better. Which they can.
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Amazingly wonderful things happen, some days. I have two nieces in Boston today—one at Tufts Medical School, and one at Harvard. They are both safe.
They worked hard to get there. It took a village to raise them, I don’t want a village idiot to take them away from their chance to have a brilliant education.
They are my hope.
I just found this card from one of them. I was at her elementary school, and we each traced our hands and made a wish for each other’s future. I haven’t seen this in years. The poignancy of her happiness and of her wish for me is fresh.
They—as all children—are our hope. I don’t want these Boston events to harm their spirit, or make them lose faith in making the world better. Which they can.
As a Marine, I was trained to follow orders and fight. The citizens who rushed towards the bombing victims, rather than run away, were not in the military. That they reacted to help—not avoid—is a great sign of our humanity today. Forget what Voltaire would say—what would I do in the situation? I pray I would rush in, but I don’t want to find out.
Stay in “school,” everyone—keep the conversations open and flowing. Reach out—I will. The life you save may be everyone’s.
Read Breaking Stories of the Boston Marathon bombing suspects.
Image courtesy of the author