Pondering Normal

It's hard to imagine that life will ever be normal after the bombings and manhunt of last week.  We will return to our normal routines, but we've witnessed and experienced a series of events that will remain with us forever.  Bombs and gunfire, lockdowns and evacuations, shelter in place orders.  The horrors that strike other places have now happened at home.  Crisis situations like this spur people to action.  We rush to care for immediate needs all the while wondering how and why did this happen.

It's a sad story that has affected countless lives, and the situation is still unfolding.  In the immediate aftermath it has united us and made us stronger.  The outpouring of positive energy has been overwhelming and has renewed my faith in humanity.  The apprehension of a suspect brought a sense of calm.  Now we can focus on picking up the pieces.

Sometimes situations warrant that we suspend normal activities.  I didn't post to the blog on Friday.  It seemed trivial in comparison to the events that were transpiring around me.  And I was extremely distracted.  Access to instant news on Twitter and other social media can be a source of anxiety and relief all rolled into one.  No longer do we wait for the morning newspaper.  We read the front page story as it's being written.

It seems insensitive that we rush back to normal routines too quickly. I had planned to post about this past weekend's fiber event, but it can wait.  I need to pause just a little longer.

On Friday evening when the suspect was apprehended, we exhaled. But we haven't fully processed all that happened last week.  That will come only with time.