TRUMP

Today is the one year anniversary of the Boston Marathon bombing. A few days ago a man with a shotgun went on a rampage at a Jewish Community Center in Kansas. One woman’s 14 year-old son and 69 year-old father were both shot and killed.

I wept when I heard about her loss. It’s hard for me to conceive the depth of her pain. I can only pray for her and all the other victims of senseless, horrific crimes.

Despite some significant evidence to the contrary, I still believe we live in a decent and humane society. I still believe that there is more good in this world than bad, and I still believe that love will alway trump evil.

I believe this because there are 65.7 million Americans (nearly one in three adults in this country) who provide care to someone who is ill, disabled or aged. That fact alone tells me a huge segment of our society is comprised of people who get up every day and do what needs to be done. Your work as a caregiver isn’t easy, glamorous or fun.

Why do you do it? I would guess it’s because the love in your heart trumps the pain in the neck created by your caregiving duties. You may be caring for someone who is less than lovable. You may be carrying more than your fair share of the load while other family members are just too busy to be bothered. At times you may feel cheated, afraid and alone, but you somehow find the strength, the courage and the love to keep going. It is because of people like you that there is hope for our world.

It’s also encouraging to know that in Boston today thousands of people will come together to pay tribute to the three people who lost their lives and the 260 who were injured when two brothers exploded bombs at the finish line of the Boston Marathon last year. During the ceremony, first responders will also be recognized and thanked.

No ceremony can ever undo the harm or replace the loss, but when we come together to remember and celebrate what’s good, we do prove that love is powerful beyond our imagining, and it will always trump evil.