ICON | Kathrine Switzer

I'm depressed about the news, as we all are. While I'm not sure it's appropriate for a blog like this to comment on the tragedy at the Boston Marathon, it's on my mind. When we stop for a second and reflect on Monday's atrocities—the fear, the panic, the violence—the one uplifting notion that shines through has been the strength and courage we've seen in ordinary people determined to act in extraordinary ways. The people that ran towards the explosion to help others, the people that took in the temporarily displaced, the people that acted out of pure kindness—that's what I try to think about when processing such a senseless act.

While this is no way meant as an exact parallel to what happened on Monday, the same words, bravery and resilience, come to mind when describing Kathrine Switzer, the first woman to enter the Boston Marathon in 1967. Her story is incredible, and I highly encourage you to watch the short video below from the PBS documentary Makers: Women Who Make America. I found an old quote by Switzer that gave me the chills, but upon further reflection found it was prescient in a way Switzer could have never imagined as we witnessed such a large force of humanity responding to such a small-minded act of terror.

"If you are losing faith in human nature, go out and watch a marathon." —Kathrine Switzer, 1967.

Our hopes, prayers, and positivity go out to all those effected by this horrible tragedy.