Commentary

Spokane runners honor Boston Marathon explosion victims.

Stacks of Sauconys and Brooks covered in roses obscured the bronze feet of Riverfront Park's Bloomsday sculptures Tuesday evening as  approximately 40 runners from two Spokane running clubs gathered to remember victims of the Boston Marathon bomb attacks.  Attendees brought new and lightly used running shoes to donate in memory of fallen and injured marathoners.

One of my favorite pictures is of retired mixed martial artist Genki “The Neo Samurai” Sudo, holding a large banner with all of the flags in the world. At the center of the banner are the words “We Are All One.”

Whenever I see people, ordinary citizens and civil servants, rush to help people during a moment of tragedy, I think of Sudo’s words.

Stabs of ephemeral emotion
Shoot from head to heart

Thoughts and prayers,
Thoughts and prayers,
Thoughts and prayers…

The human consciousness evolves and so, therefore, do relationships.

The whole idea of marriage was to ensure that a couple, man and woman, could procreate and thereby extend the size and power of a particular tribe or even religion.

When I received word of the explosions that occurred at the finish line of the Boston Marathon today, I was very personally upset. Running a marathon takes months of training and extreme dedication. Even after all the training, crossing the finish line results in literal pain. And, to be completely honest, crossing the finish line means COMPLETE physical, mental, emotional and spiritual exhaustion. To complete a marathon feels like coming to the edge of death willingly.