I co-chaired Mini K's school auction this year. It was Friday night and so much fun, but I spent the weekend catching up and watching Mini K play a great lacrosse game. Our Sunday night dinner was spent with Mini K lobbying that we fly up to Boston for the "holiday" as it was educational. Baby C spent dinner screaming Go Sox and Red Nation. Then yesterday happened.
I am speechless and for me that is saying something. I went to college in Boston, and watching those images yesterday took me back to more runs around Copley and down Newbury than I can count, cabs rides to and from Logan down Storrow Drive and evening spent at Dad's Diner, which I am not sure even still exists.
I met Mini K after school yesterday for track practice and she asked how fast the winner ran. I answered and left it at that. How do I tell a 7 year old we have some sick people in this world? That an 8 year old boy has gone to heaven? For the past decade we have been blessed, terrorism has been kept at bay by the men and women who stay up around the clock and see and hear things that we are shielded from, yet yesterday we saw it, and many many people felt it. This morning Mini K came down for breakfast and I changed the channel thinking I had outsmarted her. I was wrong.
On the way to school she said, I know something bad happened at the race yesterday and people went to heaven and are in the hospital. I asked her how that made her feel and she said sad. We arrived at school and I hugged her and she said something I will never forget: "Mommy I knew something was wrong yesterday because you hugged me really tight like this. Can you hug me really tight all the time?" I nodded, told her I loved her, got in the car and burst into tears. My sweet little 7 year old summed up what I think we as adults forget, tell the people in your life how much you love them, don't take them for granted and live each day. Unfortunately, we live in a world with bad people, and while it took our government a day to label yesterday, we all knew that anyone with the intent to harm people is an act of terrorism, their nationality doesn't make it any easier to understand.
Tonight, the minnies are snuggled in their beds, tight hugs were given and prayers were said.
God Bless You Boston. You are strong and a nation is hugging you tight!
2 comments:
The second I saw your post title I remembered you went to school in Boston! What Mini K said made me tear up! It's so true!
Your seven year old is so sweet. I love how observant children can be sometimes. I think we all can learn from children in times like this.
XO
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