I originally thought about coming here for healing during the marathon weekend I am so happy I did not and instead came back to do the Dana Farber 5k cancer walk. I am so grateful for this opportunity.

I took a walk today walking back towards where I was standing when that first explosion happened. I am struck by what is not here and that is a good thing. Life is moving on this city is moving forward. There is construction all over the Back Bay(where the finish line and my hotel is located).

I could not locate exactly where I was that day. I have an idea but honestly this all feels different and that is such a good thing!! I came to the intersection before Hereford St and I decided to stop. This was a quest I did not need to complete. Somewhere down the road I was standing, it no longer feels important.  I stood at the intersection of Gloucester and Boylston turning in a circle trying to decide what to do. I had walked the opposite side of the street from where the bomb went off as I was not quite ready to go over there.  Not yet..

I saw a wooden sign that said Select Oyster House.

Well I love me some Oysters so why not!! I was greeted by a lovely woman who gave me the option of outside or In. I went out. It was the quaintest little balcony in an alley with art work decorating the brick of the building across the way.

Select Oyster Bar Alley

This was the perfect place for me to relax and soak in the fact I was back in Boston and doing what I love to do on a trip eating and drinking!! I started with a wonderful cocktail The Sugar Shack Daiquiri a mix of Privateer Rum, Plantation Rum, lime and maple.

Sugar Shack Daiquiri

Breathing deeply I could start to feel my shoulders relax. It was helped by the amazing service of Nikki. Thats what the receipt said her name was. I hope that was it because she should get credit for just being super wonderful. Telling me I made the right choice when I ordered the Scallop Ceviche, a delectable sour citrusy combination of shallots and red pepper vinaigrette with some amazing fresh scallops.

Scallop Ceviche

By the time the oysters arrived I was ready to put everything having to do with The Marathon behind me. The taste of the salt from the sea was sweet the opposite of the sour of the scallop ceviche. Thru a little liquid courage and a wonderful meal I was ready to walk back on the other side of the street.

It was time to walk past where the second bomb went off.  The freshness I was feeling was only momentarily lost as I walked past the site where a young life was taken. The Restaurant that was The Forum is now closed. Maybe there is no way for a restaurant or any business to weather that type of storm. Starting fresh may be the only way.

Closed

This whole area has changed over the last two years. I have re-written this part of the post several times because this was the most emotional I have been on this Journey The reality is fresh and new is a way of life for Boston. The bitterness of the vinegar on the scallops is sour much  like standing in this space staring at what was. But than the sweetness of the Oysters comes thru as does the sweetness of life. No matter how great the loss and the loss here was great  a city was wounded and countless people were effected yet life keeps rolling in just like the ocean waves keep crashing against the shore. Other than an empty store front there is a small memento, blue and yellow pipe cleaners in the shape of a star attached to the string of a post holding a new tree up at the place the Backpack was left.

Memento

The sour and sweet of life all in one place. Martin Richard the young boy taken way to soon had made a sign for a school project before he lost his life the sign read

“No more hurting people , Peace”

It seems like the best way to move on remember his words, remember there is always sour and sweet in life just like in a bowl of scallops and a plate of oysters and remember life keeps moving just like the sea.

The photo above is taken today. The day I came back to Boston. You see I was here 2 years ago on April 15th 2013 the day The Boston Bombings happened. The following photo is my last view of the hotel as I leave town. On April !6th 2013.        

I had to come back I felt like something was unfinished. My friends who ran, one finished the others were stopped just short of their completion. For them that was enough for me it was not. I was here in Boston spectating as I have done many many times before . I could rehash the day 1 million times over and have done so in my head. I do not think many understand what this did to me. It changed me and I can not explain it very well. Maybe it was the first explosion louder than the second but as I would come to find out further away.  Maybe it was the things I did that day out of the ordinary for me. Made signs and talked to people made friends for a day an hour a few minutes.  That is a testament to how amazing The Boston Marathon is. The most friendly supported exciting race I have ever been to.

Since the Marathon I have quit my job at Lowes, I work full time at a small pizza shop doing whatever I need to in the restaurant I love all  to make a living doing something that gives me great joy. I have lost 65 pounds and I have started Tripping Vittles. Would any of this happened without the Boston Bombings?? I do not think so. I was shown life can be fleeting it can be over in a second changed for a life time. I so easily could have been standing there with my back to the terror unfolding. A pressure cooker a backpack and evil.

You see my plans from the get go were to stand at that finish line and take photos of my dear friends Carol and David finishing the race. It was their race it was Carols family legacy. Her Father and Uncle both ran this race. It was Carols time and thru some amazing circumstances she was going to be able to run this race with her husband David by her side.  I wanted to be there to take it all in to see the joy as she crossed the finish line.

Instead I was somewhere on Herford before you get to Boylston street.  I had done something out of the ordinary. Something that I still have no idea why I did it, I made signs to cheer on my friends.

Its such a small thing but thru the course of that one action i changed my whole day. It is so hard for me to wrap my head around. I know most do not understand the deepness to which this affected me and I understand that. My mom calls it my wake up call… The thing that shows you life is short, don’t take if for granted and do the things you love because you are not promised another second.  I am now about to embark on a trip to put it behind me. I will always carry some of that day with me but over the next few days i am going to see Boston all over again finish The Freedom Trail, eat an amazing Lobster Roll and drink some awesome drinks.

I hope you all will come along on my Trip with me. Lets go see Boston!!