1.People described as "lovely and compassionate" are just as likely to commit acts of violence as mean-spirited people are acts of kindness. We are multi-layered, the combination of our experiences and genetic wiring. Some of us may never understand ourselves well enough to understand others. It's a shame, because that is the key to empathy. Without it, we are nothing more than a drifting boat, unanchored.
2.If someone experiences violence repeatedly, whether it's coming from a war-torn country, a family of abuse, or even a fantasy video game, they are changed, and it's not for the better.
3.Families bicker and fight, but when members of families stop talking to each other for long periods of time, the heart turns to stone. Some try to replace that family love by becoming a member of a larger family, the human race. They are the lucky ones. Others find a family in gangs and entities that want to tear down the human race. It's whoever gets to them first, so don't be afraid to take someone into your fold.
4.In a given hour of news coverage after a tragedy, three of those minutes are news, 30 minutes are a re-run of the same news, and 27 minutes are various talking heads giving their opinions of the news.
5.Dedication, bravery and a willingness to help total strangers is the real story in Boston. Even though we are capable of causing great harm to others, we are also capable of extraordinary acts of goodness. We need to be reminded of that daily.
6.Law enforcement agencies got it right this time, and were rewarded with cheers from jubilant crowds and accolades from the press. Let's try not to have a short-term memory about this.
7.When a not-so-ordinary citizen came face to face with the suspect, the first thing his hand reached for was a phone to call law enforcement, not a Bushmaster, an AK-47 or any other weapon for that matter. This man joined the ranks of all the other heroes in and around Boston that week.
8.Love will always prevail over evil, always has and always will.
9.We can always set aside our differences, over coffee and donuts.
10.We need more donut shops in every city, town and hamlet. There simply aren't enough.
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