A Patriots' Day Remembrance

Do the people of our era have too many memorable dates? There can never be too many good dates: anniversaries, birthdays, etc. But, maybe we are accumulating too many of the bad kind. The veterans of World War II had a good balance; they had the unfortunate dates of the stock market crash and Pearl Harbor, but they also had Lindbergh crossing the Atlantic, the first man on the moon, VE and VJ days.  

For many of us, our earliest memories were the Kennedy assassinations, the images from Vietnam, the Iran hostages, Oklahoma City and 9/11. Two weeks ago we added another date, April 15, 2013, Patriots' Day, another day when we will remember where we were and when we heard the news; another date when an iconic image was tainted by the irrational action from an unexpected source. Previous generations were able to define and create defenses against their threats. Even when they didn’t expect the threat, there was a promise that victory could be had.

In the past 20 years, our threats have had no promise of solace through victory. When individuals take away our sense of security through horrific actions, it is difficult even after punishing these individuals to feel safe or relieved. Neither the justice achieved over Timothy McVeigh nor Osama Bin Laden gave comfort. While we feel more secure after the tremendous efforts of our authorities to catch the perpetrators that defiled one of New England’s cherished traditions, we will not look at the race in the same way.  Will future races reflect the defiant independence that New England has long symbolized?

Runners have strong communal bonds that are often symbolized by a simple nod or "good morning" as they pass each other. Often, the training runs are when the streets or roads are dark or isolated. The solace of passing a co-enthusiast gives peace and resolve. It makes each stride easier. This group of individuals has its traditions and icons like any community.

If you are a marathon runner in the United States, the one race that holds the most reverence is the Boston Marathon; it is difficult to qualify for and everyone aspires to complete it. In the 70s, it embodied the burgeoning spirit of the new running craze. It has endured as the grandfather of all events. It is unique in that it is not a circuit like most races; rather it takes you through the communities that give Massachusetts its personality. From the start in Hopkinton to its finish, you travel through history.

Perhaps for us to turn this trend of bad memorable dates around what we need to do is embrace the spirit of New England, the spirit of marathoners, and our sense of pride. Let’s not let anyone take this date from us; let's not associate names of villains with a day named for those that gave their lives to found our country. Let's adopt those runners prepping for the 2014 race and turn it into the largest communal event New England has. We can reinvigorate Patriots' day by celebrating our individual communities in 2014. As public utilities, we can turn Patriots' day into a day every year that we reach out to the communities we serve and invite them in. We can show the same determination and spirit as the runners who turned and began helping people affected by the blast or the responders who kept the finish from becoming a much worse day.