Boston

I had a much happier post that I was going to put up today, but then events in Boston yesterday left me feeling like I needed to say something.  I know we all feel it, the sadness that comes when people attack humanity with their hatred.  I tend to carry it around with me for a long while after a horrific event like this happens.  Nightmares, tears, a heavy heart.  I feel it in every inch of my body and it makes me doubt the love that I know outweighs the hate in this world.  Events like this no matter on what scale leave me shaken to my core. 

 We had a dear family of loved ones who were there yesterday, one was running in the marathon and the rest of the family was cheering him on the sidelines.  When this all happened I immediately called and texted to check on their safety.  We didn't hear anything back for two hours and during that time both my husband I were worried sick about them. Scanning the news and web for images of them hoping that we would see them and that they were safe.   We finally heard that they were ok, and had made it to the airport and were on their way back to California.   A huge sigh of relief, but still that hole is there for everyone else who wasn't as fortunate as they were.  Then I came across this post by Patton Oswalt on Facebook. 

Boston. Fucking horrible.

I remember, when 9/11 went down, my reaction was, "Well, I've had it with humanity."

But I was wrong. I don't know what's going to be revealed to be behind all of this mayhem. One human insect or a poisonous mass of broken sociopaths.

But here's what I DO know. If it's one person or a HUNDRED people, that number is not even a fraction of a fraction of a fraction of a percent of the population on this planet. You watch the videos of the carnage and there are people running TOWARDS the destruction to help out. (Thanks FAKE Gallery founder and owner Paul Kozlowski for pointing this out to me). This is a giant planet and we're lucky to live on it but there are prices and penalties incurred for the daily miracle of existence. One of them is, every once in awhile, the wiring of a tiny sliver of the species gets snarled and they're pointed towards darkness.

But the vast majority stands against that darkness and, like white blood cells attacking a virus, they dilute and weaken and eventually wash away the evil doers and, more importantly, the damage they wreak. This is beyond religion or creed or nation. We would not be here if humanity were inherently evil. We'd have eaten ourselves alive long ago.

So when you spot violence, or bigotry, or intolerance or fear or just garden-variety misogyny, hatred or ignorance, just look it in the eye and think, "The good outnumber you, and we always will."

And you know what he is right, the majority of humanity is inherently good.  People were running to help, not knowing if it was safe or not to help people they have probably never met.  If there is one positive thing that comes out of events like this, it is that people come together and rise up to help each other.  I try to carry that with me when I feel my doubt in humanity crawling in.  

Last night I said a little prayer and lit some sage for everyone, humanity as a whole. I re read the post on Facebook and I am so thankful for it showing up when it did and to Mr. Oswalt for putting those words up for all to read.  I hope people found solace and hope in it as I did. 

"The good outnumber you, and we always will."