What We All Lost Yesterday

Yesterday, just as the Boston Marathon starter's pistol was fired, my flight was landing in Jacksonville. From a frequent traveler standpoint, everything was business-as-usual. I've run countless marathons over the years, and qualified for and completed the Boston Marathon 3 times. At one point almost a year ago, I harbored aspirations of re-qualifying for this year...but then real-life got in the way and I figured it best to wait until I can give it a proper effort. You see, roughly 5% (give or take) of those that run marathons are fast enough to qualify for Boston...it is every American marathoner's holy grail.

Yesterday afternoon, as the horrific events at the finish line unfolded, my inbox started lighting up with pings from friends, asking if I was running it this year. Later I read posts and comments from some people online who dismissed the bombings as if to say "Hey, it doesn't really affect me, that's just a bunch of crazy runners up north...what do you think of my new hairdo?" To this I'm here to tell you: it will affect EVERYONE.

Do you remember taxiing to your gate, and seeing the bubbly faces of your children through the gatehouse windows, jumping up and down in anticipation of their dad coming home? I do. Do you remember not having to worry about "liquids, gels, and aerosols" and the 3-1-1 rule? I do. Do you remember strolling into concert venues with a tote bag of snacks & supplies, without security personnel demanding to rifle through the contents? I do. These are but a few of the freedoms we lost after 9-1-1. Now we can't buy a cup of coffee or bottled water in the main terminal and carry it through security, because it somehow presents a risk.

Think the Boston murders (let's call it what it is) of innocent bystanders at the marathon yesterday won't have any affect on your life? Think again. Security measures will perhaps get tighter, even at simple local events. Insurance premiums could rise for those events, meaning the entry fees of your next softball tournament, charity walk, or fishing tournament could rise significantly.

In contrast to yesterday's simple, routine flights - today's were a whole different matter. News crews were noticeably on-site at 2 of the 3 airports I flew through today. Security was tighter; it took much longer to get through the screening area, as everything became more thorough. Whether you are an athlete or not, the heinous bombing of innocents yesterday at one of America's most storied events - on Patriots Day no less - will have a ripple affect that will impact every one of us. We all lost something yesterday. We all lost another measure of our freedom.