I feel so depressed and disbelieving right now. I just posted a news article to MASSAGE Magazine‘s home page, “Massage Therapists Report from the Boston Tragedy.” Yesterday, as we all know all, two bombs were detonated near the finish line of the Boston Marathon, killing three people and injuring more than 170.
Before the news out of Boston yesterday, I was excited about the Boston Marathon and the money that Team Massage Therapy Foundation Running for Research would raise for the Massage Therapy Foundation. Now, the joy of this event has been replaced for so many people, myself included, with shock, anger, fear—and grief.
I cannot understand how anyone could possibly conceive of placing a bomb anywhere, knowing innocent people would be killed and maimed. But I also feel confusion and sadness when the response to events of this type of horror are met by so many people with the refrain of “We will hunt down the perpetrator and enact vengeance. We will bring pain and death to you.”
I want to see greater peace in this world, in my lifetime. And I don’t believe we will ever create peace if we operate from a mindset of an eye for an eye. Yes, find who did this. Of course, put that person in jail. And please, put attention and resources on peaceful solutions to conflict. They do exist. The xenophobia and racism that run rampant after an event such as this will not help create lasting safety in our world. As the great teacher Mahatma Ghandi said, “Hatred ever kills, love never dies—such is the vast difference between the two. What is obtained by love is retained for all time. What is obtained by hatred proves a burden in reality for it increases hatred.”