Help For Boston

   Today my heart is heavy for the city of Boston and all those involved in the marathon. If I'm being honest my heart is heavy for all of as human beings. I'm sad that in this day and age we still can't find a way to get along with each other and put aside differences to see that at the core, we're more alike than we are different. I'm sad that we have come to extremes like setting off bombs and intentionally hurting one another. I'm sad that horrible tragedies like these are becoming more and more common and the norm than the other way around. For some reason, yesterday's event hit me harder than expected. Maybe because I am a runner myself and I know what it is to train for something like this and when you get to race day and complete it it such absolute wonderful feeling, and the camaraderie and support from other runners and spectators is simply amazing. But that was cut short because someone or someones had different plans.
   Despite how sad this has all made me something that has been great has been all the outpouring of acts of kindness and heroics from so many in Boston and around the country yesterday and today. I've been listening to NPR on and off today and most all their programming has been about yesterday's events. One program in particular was just people calling in and talking about the acts of kindness they have witnessed in the last 24 hours. This has made me feel a little better and very happy to live in a place that when these disasters strike that there are still people out there running to the aid of others and coming together to help each other. Many people opened up their homes to racers who were stranded, people who are medically trained were going down to the race site to help with medical care, restaurants and businesses were passing out food and water to those in need, and people were streaming into hospitals to donate blood.  All of this makes me so very proud.
    So today my act of kindness is also to aid those involved in this tragedy. I found and donated to an organization called Technology Underwriting for a Greater Good or TUGG for short who is fundraising along with fundraise.com to help support the victims of the Boston marathon bombing. Please check them out HERE. 100% of the proceeds are going to support those in need. They are working with the working with the local Mayor's office, the Red Cross of Eastern Massachusetts, and the hospitals that cared for the patients with the most pertinent needs to deliver funding directly to those impacted. I urge you if you can to donate any small amount. Other organizations that are helping with relief are The Salvation Army and The Red Cross.
Okay, I'll hop off my soapbox now, I just hope that we as humans will eventually wake up and stop literally tearing each other apart.