Boston Strong

Today we all struggled for words to describe our reaction to the bombings at the Boston Marathon. As I drove around city heartbroken, I thought about a little boy I saw along the race route cheering on the runners.

He was perched atop his father's shoulders holding a purple balloon in one hand. The other hand was stretched out towards the marathon runners.

"High five!" the little boy yelled, encouraging the runners to extend their hands. Many runners passed by, eager to keep up their pace. But the little boy didn't mind. He continued to cheer anyway. 5 runners ran by. 20 runners. 40 runners.

60 runners must have passed the boy before a runner finally took him up on his offer. A satisfying 'CLAP' sound was produced as their hands met. The little boy immediately giggled with delight. His sheer joy was infectious. The runner smiled and those of us watching the little boy laughed alongside him, happy that he got a high-five.

What amazed me was the power of this little boy's motivation and encouragement. To me, his small voice and outreached arm is the very essence of the acts of strength I've witnessed in the city of Boston today.

Bostonians have quietly been sharing their Boston Marathon stories and reaching out to others for encouragement and solace. We could all use a kind gesture, a heartfelt hug or uplifting motivation as we continue to process Monday's events.

Let's keep Boston Strong,
Jill Tomich
Ultimate Bootcamp Co-Founder

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