Three Pictures For Boston And One For Me

I remember walking the streets of Boston when I visited the city years ago. I remember wandering the old cemeteries, climbing Bunker Hill, running down Hull Street toward the Old North Church reciting "The Midnight Ride of Paul Revere" (Yes. I'm a dork.). I remember stopping, refilling my water bottle and sneaking in a bonus reading session at the most beautiful library I had ever seen. I remember walking out of that library and finding the finish line to the Boston Marathon. Painted. Right there. On the street! I may have stood there, staring, imagining myself, one day, running across that very line. For an, hem hem, abnormally long time.... People may have begun to give me weird looks. I may also have turned around, walked into a running store and bought the best souvenir ever! A sports bra. I may have also worn that sports bra for way too long, insisting it was THE BEST SPORTS BRA IN THE HISTORY OF EVER, because, obviously, Boston knows running bras.

But then Monday happened. And, as I laced up my running shoes to head out on a training run for my half marathon in June, I thought. I thought about how three people, ridiculously young, were never going to get to chance to choose to run again. Three people who were never going to get the chance to wander around my running hood, marveling at the beauty I get to run through every day, like I once did through theirs.

Never get to watch the Olympic Mountains emerge on the skyline as they run over the bridge.

Never get to run past the red leafed bushes in spring at sunset. 

Never get to run along the marina waterfront while the ferry comes in to dock.

Never get to share their love of running with their kids. 

 "Scripture tells us to run with endurance the race that is set before us. As we do, may God hold close those who have been taken from us too soon, may He comfort their families and may He continue to watch over these United States of America." -President Barack Obama, at the interfaith healing service at the Cathedral of the Holy Cross in Boston, April 18, 2013.

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