Some questions have no answer. Regardless of how hard we all try to come up with a reason for the events that occurred in Boston on Patriots Day, chances are instead of answers, we will find frustration, anger and fear. We will be unable to fathom the actions of a cowardly few that cause such grief to so many.
It is amazing how quickly the actions of a few people can turn the whole world into a bunch of four-year-olds asking why. Why did this happen? Why would someone do this? Why would someone’s hatred be taken out on so many innocent people? Why?
My biggest concern is that when I heard the news, I wasn’t shocked, I wasn’t numb, and I wasn’t surprised. We have become a society where these events have become commonplace. When I was growing up, the most memorable day of tragedy I went through was when the Challenger exploded. Now, we seemingly go through horrific events once or twice a year.
Columbine. 9/11. Capitol Hill. London. Virginia Tech. Fort Hood. Tucson. Aurora. Sandy Hook. All days that we will remember forever due to the tragic events that occurred. Now we add Boston to that list and we all have an understanding that the list will grow. A tragedy occurs, we unite, we remember and then another tragedy occurs. It is a vicious cycle that we cannot seem to break.
My father has long told me that my generation was doomed. That hatred has never been this widespread, this deep, and this strong. I have long fought with him, saying that every generation has fought different kinds of issues and persevered. But it seems with every new event like what occurred in Boston, I slide closer to his side of the argument. I have no idea how to come up with the answers to these issues when I am not even sure what the questions are in most cases.
What does all of this have to do with sports? Honestly, not much. What I have come to find out in my nearly 33 years on this Earth is that life is broken down into three categories: Good events, bad events and distractions. When my father suffered his strokes, I used sports as my distraction and now that we have endured another tragedy, I will turn to sports once again.
The beauty of sports and namely high school sports is that for two hours at a time, you get to see competition at its best. There are no sponsors, there are no salaries, there are no cameras, just a group of kids on a field, court, rink or diamond playing for the name on their chest. It isn’t life or death, it is a game and it is played for everyone to enjoy. High school sports can take you away from the horror that seemingly is all around us and let us enjoy the simplicity that is sports.
While taking in a baseball, softball or lacrosse game or a track meet will not heal our wounds, it will for a brief period take us to a different place, one where hopefully our minds will rest, even if for a minute.
We will wish our best for Boston and all of those affected by the terrible actions that took place on what was an otherwise picture-perfect day.
We will unite. We will rally. We will get back to normal as we have done time and time again and will continue to do time and time again. It is all we can do.
