Sunday Reflection

// High Tea at Taj Hotel // Getting "RE(a)D "y // Chick-fil-A empathy // Serenbe serenity // Georgia hydrangeas // There she is //

What. A. Week.

I don’t even know how to put this week into words. To say that I experienced an extreme of emotions would be an understatement. It has been a whirlwind of joy, terror, comfort, anxiety and homesickness. My heart is weary from feeling.

I had the opportunity to enjoy the company of so many people that I love, many who live in entirely different worlds from each other; from Boston to Atlanta and varied pockets in between. I celebrated with the beautiful women in my bible study at a fancy affair in downtown Boston. I got the chance to visit with my soul-sister in law and her delightful children on a random whim. I got to party with my BFFs at a super-duper-anticipated pop concert. I got to run and cross-train (while having wonderfully deep conversation) with my stinkin’ amazing bro-in law. I got to have a dreamy brunch with my parents as we discussed the possibilities of the future. I spent an entire day in my pjs with my cousin (who is exactly like a sister, just a blonde one.) And I got to waltz around a chic farm haven with my sincerely sweet sister.

Unfortunately, I also got to watch in horror as my city was locked down and ravaged with fear as a manhunt for a suspected terrorist ensued. I was glued to the news for 15 hours on Friday as I anxiously prayed for the safety of my husband, who was home alone and unable to leave our apartment, per the request of Boston authorities. I was honestly so worried he wouldn’t have enough to eat. It sounds ridiculous, as people were fighting for their lives in the hospitaldue to the terrifying acts committed over the course of the week by this suspect. But it’s the truth.

Processing It.

Harboring anxiety is awful, but it’s honestly so difficult to overcome fear in the face of adversity. Once you give your heart over to that fear, you usually don’t get any peace back. It’s not a mutually beneficial exchange. Clearly, this is something I am still working on, not allowing my circumstances to rock my inner-peace. But being apart from my best friend and knowing he was alone to handle the scare of a terrorist on the loose in our neighborhood was a little too close for comfort. Though my heart was stirred, these are the moments when I am so thankful I know Jesus and have this precious compass of faith. While I don’t understand why terrible things happen to innocent people, I believe God is always good and He listens to the prayers of his people. I also believe he heard America’s prayers as we joined together, asking for this suspect to be located and no more innocent life to be lost. I believe His guarding angels commanded a presence just as thick as the police authorities during the hours that we, as a country, watched the news and fiercely prayed with all our hearts. This is my belief.

Gratitude?

My heart is conflicted as I meditate on gratitude. How to be grateful for peace and safety when I know others are suffering the loss of their children, husbands and loved ones? People just like you and me, who have been punctured with such an awful injustice. They are laid up in hospital beds, their bodes bruised and their hearts pulsing in anguish. Join with me today and pray that God may bless them, keep them, expand their territory and heal their bodies and spirits in a way that only He can.

Reflections: The 2012 vs. 2013 Boston Marathon

Today the city is sunny, sullen and tinged with an eerie quiet. The community of Cambridge wants to wrap our big brother Boston in a bear hug and not let go.

Yesterday morning I woke up with a head cold and grumpily turned on the televised race footage. We were eager to go downtown to celebrate this day with our friends, but I was physically feeling puny and we reluctantly decided to stay home. Stevie worked on papers and I watched the race for hours from the comfort of my couch. This cold was perhaps a blessing in disguise. I won't re-hash the details of the horrific bombings that have been covered in excess by the news. After several panicked phone calls to friends we knew were downtown at the Finish Line, Stevie and I began to pray for safety for the victims and for all plans of evil in our city to be thwarted. Thankfully, our friends who were running the marathon and watching from downtown were all safe, though many of them were in the vicinity of the blasts and watched the horror unfold.

Patriots' Day

For many of you who don't live in Boston, you might not understand the importance of Patriots' Day in this city. Before I moved to Boston I didn't understand why people got the day off of work and school.

Patriots' Day is a civic holiday celebrated in Massachusetts (and Maine) to commemorate the Battles of Lexington and Concord. These battles mark the beginning of the American Revolutionary War, and therefore, celebrate freedom and independence.

In my extremely limited experience, it is a day that I can only compare to a robust 4th of July on steroids. Bostonians are fiercely proud of their heritage, and on this day, that pride is honored throughout the city with jubilation. It is an infectious tradition that makes you wish you were a permanent cog in this community. As a native Atlantan, I've never experienced a city-wide event so richly steeped in heritage and celebrated so widely. Everyone celebrates the marathon by showing up in droves to watch the runners. Strangers cheer for the athletes, high-five each other, children wave American flags. There is no distinction between race or creed, gender or age, even hometown heritage. On this day, no matter where you're from, you are a cheering Bostonian and you are happy.

We were amongst those who watched the race from Commonwealth Avenue last year, at the 2012 Marathon. I want to share a few photos and a video for you to understand the intended joy of this day, which was captured a year ago when we attended this event:

Boston Marathon 2012 from Kristen Hale on Vimeo.

Reflect

I share this with you so that you may have a deeply sensitive appreciation for what the community of Boston is enduring. It's okay to be angry, it's okay to be sad, but in times like these I hope the processing of these emotions will lead to greater compassion and empathy for others.

Keep in mind all the goodness shown by people in these moments of terror. Marathon runners tearing off their clothes in order to stop the bleeding of victims, marathon volunteers carrying victims into ambulances, emergency-response authorities cooperating with complete strangers in order to minimize the volume of panic and pain. Even more amazingly, a googledoc was passed around by Boston residents who opened their home up for strangers to stay. Many visitors to Boston (for this particular event) had been displaced by the hotels in the area that were shut down due to the blocked-off crime scene.

These acts of kindness should be at the forefront of our appreciation to God's goodness in people. Feel free to post your comments, thoughts and prayers.