MESSAGE

Count on it.

Images viewed again and again will morph from Powerful to Permanent.

Skeptical? Close your eyes.

See the plane bursting into flames as it crashes into the top floors of The Tower? See the Twin Towers pancake to the ground in an ungodly puff of smoke, paper, and ash?

Images viewed again and again will morph from Powerful to Permanent. 

Quickly. 

See smoke burst from building into crowd as security guards cover their ears and  marathon runners flinch or fall to the ground? 

See baseball-capped brothers carrying back-packs through an unsuspecting crowd, or heavily armed FBI and police SWAT teams conducting door to door searches of an American city on lockdown? 

I sure do.

It's difficult to believe that this Week of Terror began with more than 20,000 dedicated runners from ninety-six countries competing in the Boston Marathon.

Surely none of them imagined the horror that would keep thousands of fellow participants from crossing the finish line.

Surely none of us who tuned into the race imagined we'd awaken on yet another morning, struggling to explain to our children why some people choose to kill. 

And yet, on every TV, tablet, and home computer, a barrage of images featuring horror, anguish and atrocity played and replayed, nipping at our innocence and challenging our humanity.

What kind of human being maims and kills with abandon?

It's surprising, Dear Reader, how a dozen years of experience and perspective can change one's view of images that sicken a soul and break a heart.

REWIND to Monday afternoon. I am watching the first images of the marathon bombings as Youngest Child returns from middle school and glances over my shoulder. He stands for a moment, silently observing the photographs. He asks a few questions then disappears into another room. 

I continue to stare at the TV - tears falling for the fallen. Then I do what I do whenever I am stressed. Or sad. Or breathing. I begin talking to myself.

"Turn off the TV. Now. DO NOT get sucked into the loop of terrifying images that will leave you obsessing about the horrible-rotten-no good state of the world. Turn off the tube. And stay away from the computer!

I finally shut up when I hear singing. Music travels from the corner of the kitchen to the family room, up the stairs and into the bedroom. 

A simple song in a sweet tenor. Who-like, it starts low and slow, building in volume, strength, and silliness. This song - with familiar tune and nonsensical lyrics - suddenly speaks to me of resilience, innocence, joy. Youngest Child is singing with abandon - just minutes after viewing images of violence and death! He is affirming that Innocence is never truly lost - so long as it takes root and blossoms in the hearts and minds of the young, and young at heart.

From that moment on, as I read or watched the news this week, I tried to look beyond the blood and chaos on Boylston Street, seeking Images that could morph from Powerful to Permanent to Message.

IMAGES: Adult cradling child. Friend comforting friend. Stranger lifting stranger. She hugging him. He carrying her.  

MESSAGE. Every new day brings grief to someone. Tragedy, illness, accident or death will strike, just as surely as friend, neighbor or stranger will answer the critical call for aid, love, and compassion; shining a brilliant light on our common humanity.

IMAGES: Bystanders and first responders pull flags of countless countries to the ground, leaping over them and the heavy, twisted barricades beneath them to reach victims so suddenly burned and broken.

MESSAGE: In times of need differences disappear. Walls built from prejudice and disagreement ultimately crumble beneath goodness. When it most matters we are brothers and sisters all, offering assistance based on one's need rather than citizenship, race, creed, political affiliation, sexual orientation, appearance. Or loyalty to a particular city or team. 

Go Red Sox, Bruins, Celtics!  (I     m   u   s   t      t ype       i t:         P.a.t.r.i.o.t.s.)

This Week of Terror. Networks continuously recycled the same horrific images, just as they did a dozen years ago when Manhattan darkened beneath a blazing sun. But this time I felt no fear. No instinct to retreat, withdraw, protect, retaliate. Because in those very same images I searched for gifts of assistance, comfort, love - and found them replaying again and again. 

You see what you seek.

Tonight, it was stunning to watch the citizens of Watertown line their streets and applaud the police, law enforcement, and emergency services who worked tirelessly throughout an excruciatingly dangerous and difficult day to apprehend a suspect and return a neighborhood from war zone to home. 

IMAGES:  Neighbors hugging. Chatting. High-fiving. Saluting. Cheering. Expressions of relief, disbelief, joy. And throughout the vast crowds not a single person was glancing at a cell phone or texting.

MESSAGE: Technology may continue to distance us from each other. But Life will smack us back together, demanding that we engage and look out for one another.

A decade plus of terrors and tragedies from 911 to the Boston Marathon Massacre have no doubt shaken the collective soul of this country.  

But they've also confirmed the same, simple message: we need each other. 

Powerfully and Permanently. 

I may not know you, dear Reader, but I know I need you. 

And someday you'll be there for me, just as I shall be there for you.

Count on it. 



QUING HEREBY DECREES: You see what you seek. Look for light.