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I don’t usually comment on anything seriously, and I always refrain from participating in political arguments. I just feel compelled to say that if you’re talking about gun control issues 3 hours after the news of Newtown or possible political motives 3 hours after the news today, you’re missing the point.

Right now, all I can feel is empathy - empathy for a city celebrating each other in accomplishing their goal of finishing a race shaken by an unexpected violent event, empathy for a family who lost a son, empathy for first responders who ran into the fire and smoke, empathy for those who witnessed things they’d never imagined they’d see on a sunny Marathon Monday.

If you’re not feeling empathy, maybe you’ve never experienced loss. Maybe you haven’t experienced loving anyone and cringing at the thought you might not be able to protect them if something terrible actually happened. Maybe you just don’t know where to put your emotions right now and they come out badly. I’m guessing we’ll up the death toll overnight, and I know people who were there will be living with these memories in a real way long after we’ve forgotten.

So, I’m hoping everyone can think twice before social media speculating about what terrible person was responsible, what we did to bring this upon ourselves as a country (because that’s also already happening), and for now just love the one we’re with. And be nice to each other tomorrow and the day after - even when we’re not surrounded by reminders from the local news that we’re all in this together. Just for a minute. Before blaming people makes us feel better.

Marathon Monday has always been my mother’s favorite holiday - sacred in its pure, simple happiness. I think I get it now, ironically. It’s a shame it took something so ugly to understand its now-tarnished beauty.

I love you, Boston. Good night.