A Note on Boston

Tom and I were in Brussels on the day of the marathon. We were actually so caught up in our trip (and the time difference) that we didn't even realize it was Marathon Monday. We spent the evening eating, drinking and wandering through the wonderful city that is Brussels. We got back to our hotel around midnight and started to get ready for bed. While I was brushing my teeth Tom put on the TV and I heard the word "Boston." I stuck my head out of the bathroom and excitedly said "What's Boston doing on TV!?"

It took us about 10 seconds to realize what happened. I was immediately terrified and realized that we were about two hours behind when the bombs actually went off. We luckily had internet in our hotel and both checked our e-mail. My friends had started a chain and I knew very quickly that everyone I loved and cared about was safe.

It's still hard to believe that this really happened here. Despite feeling thankful that we were safe and out of the country, I felt this overwhelming desire to be back in Boston. This city has become my home over the last seven years and with the news it felt like my heart just flew the 3,500 miles back over the ocean.

We officially flew back to Boston on Wednesday. The city was kind of eerie, but besides the excess of cops and FBI agents, things seemed to be on the normal side. I went to work on Thursday, had a minor freak out on the T on the way home, and then Friday happened.

It's really hard to even talk about the day. I felt (and continue to feel) such a mix of emotions about the events that transpired that day. What I can tell you is that I stayed in my apartment glued to the TV the whole day, jumping at any out-of-the-ordinary sound. It was impossible to do anything but follow the news.

Marathon Monday is such a celebration of life, health, and community. I can only hope that the day is enriched in years to come and continues to represent a day of strength, perseverance and accomplishment. My heart aches for the people who have suffered from this tragedy. My new office overlooks the incredible Memorial that has been laid out in Copley Square and I make sure to walk by it and spend some time reflecting on what happened each day.

That's really all I can say about this. I love Boston.