April 15th is a holiday in the state of Massachusetts. There's no school, and public buildings are closed. This holiday is known as Patriot's day because it commemorates the anniversary of the battles of Lexington and Concord, which started the Revolution. On this day, battle re-enactments are played out in Lexington and Concord. Paul Revere and William Dawes riding to alert the Minutemen that the "British are coming", is also re-enacted.
The Red Sox always play on this date, also. Their games usually start at 2:00, but since it's a holiday and many don't work or go to school, the game begins around 11:00. Incidentally, the Sox won today, in the bottom of the ninth. Exciting!
Another reason the Sox play early is because of another Patriot's Day Tradition--the Boston Marathon. Runners from all over the world come to run in this marathon. What makes this race so popular is that it's not just for professional runners. Anyone can run. My own daughter would have run this year, were it not for the fact that she just ran a duathlon. But I know many who do run. Neighbors, co-workers, everyone knows someone who runs or have run, in the Boston Marathon.
That is what is so unbelievable about what happened at the Boston Marathon, today. Somebody I might have known, might have been hurt. My daughters I know, didn't go to run or watch. But my son lives in a Boston suburb and does watch the Marathon. When I first heard about the explosions, I texted him. No answer.
I prayed.
I waited an hour, and then telephoned. His girlfriend answered. She said that he had to work today and he was OK.
With a sigh of relief, I prayed thanksgiving for all my loved ones being safe.
Some people were not that lucky. One little girl, standing beside her mother, saw her mother's leg be blown off. Just the dazed look on the faces of people running away, brings me to prayer.
Bostonians won't forget this Marathon too soon.
