Another sad, sad, day

It's days like today that make it really difficult being a parent. There were two explosions near the finish line of the Boston Marathon. A run, like so many others that bring people together  from every state and many nations to compete in an endurance race in a historical American city.

What should you do as a parent? Do you talk to your children about the horrors endured on this day? Do you put them in a bubble in an attempt to keep them innocent to the dangers that lurk

around every corner? It's difficult to know what to do. I don't want to scare them and make them leery of mankind, but you know they'll hear the story from their friends at school and misunderstand the message. I certainly don't want her to think marathons are bad!

I haven't run a marathon before, but having run other races I know that runners all have something in common. The thrill of pushing yourself both in body and spirit to overcome the fatigue, the pain and fear of failure and crossing that finish line. The time on the clock doesn't matter - as most people will ask after a race, "did you finish" and rarely "what was your time". It's a camaraderie like no other.

What will I decide?

While I plan to keep the television off to avoid the coverage, I will talk to Teagan about what happened - only to the extent that she is aware that it is a terrible day in our history. And to show her that there still is good in the world. The first responders and common citizens who ran into the smoke this afternoon without knowing what is coming next will forever be heroes of this day and evil will never win.   To my children - look for the good; look for the helpers and know that in the face of evil - good will overcome and win every time.

...and when you get the chance to sit it out or dance, I hope you dance - but running is exhilarating as well!