Like many Americans, we were riveted by the events in Boston last week. The bombing, the investigation, the gunfight, the lockdown, the manhunt, the arrest, the celebration; it was white knuckle stuff.
We join with our fellow Americans across the country commending Massachusetts law enforcement community for their efforts, and hailing the citizens of the Boston area who assisted as best they could and then lined the streets in celebration when the remaining live suspect, Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, was caught.
Now, the story slows to a relative crawl as the march through the American justice system begins. For most of us, the court case will become part of our background noise while we return to a sense of normalcy.
We would be remiss however if we simply change the channel and pretend everything will be all right now. For the more than 200 families affected by the Boston Marathon bombing, life will never be the same. They will have to adjust to what survivors call “a new normal.”
Because the bombing involved an iconic sporting event, held in a major American metropolis, captured on video and recorded in literally thousands of photographs, the story lent itself to riveting TV.
Sadly, events in Beantown overshadowed events in West Texas April 17 when the West Fertilizer Co. plant exploded; killing 14 people, injuring more than 160 and destroying dozens of buildings.
They will have a new normal, too, and will need our help no less so, than the most unfortunate victim in Boston.
We will continue to wave the flag with pride but we all need to remember the stories do not end when the lights dim on one tragedy and the next one comes along.
We have all heard the stories of marathon runners who, after reaching the finish line, kept on running to donate blood.
Right now in Massachusetts and Texas, blood banks are full and financial donations are adding up, but there will still be victims of these or other tragedies; victims who are still going to need blood and money in June and July and August and thereafter and the donations will be no less precious or appreciated then.
