Boston Strong: Good Wins Gold

LOOKING FOR THE GOOD One year after the Boston marathon bombing stories of resilience, courage and inspiration emerge from survivors and spectators. One such story comes from a fifty-something-year-old woman who held the hand of an injured victim until help arrived ignoring the gaping hole in her own leg. A week later Amanda North questioned her passion and purpose in life realizing that it could end at any given minute. Quitting her lucrative job in the tech industry after 30 years she started a business combining her love of travel, culture and social change selling home decor from artisans in developing countries. The online for-profit company Artisan Connect is the first of its kind providing consumers with tasteful global art while keeping cultural tradition alive and prospering for people that need it most.

Chris Long is VP of the Boston speakers bureau AEI Speakers (agency for motivational speakers like me) His wife was supposed to be at the finish line last year supporting friends. It was her habit of many years.

By some miracle of circumstances she was unable to be there.
In hindsight Chris says he and his family now have “a profound appreciation for health, family, country & most of all our community. While I wish I could say I acted boldly and started chasing a life long dream, my reality is one where we just stop and smell the roses. Then we talk about how awesome they are today. We look at life as more of a gift, time to be cherished. Because marathon bombing or not, it goes by so fast and can be fleeting.”

Words to live by. Next time you’re freaked out about paying taxes, dealing with your boss, sitting in traffic or having a bad hair day, remember Boston. Things could be a lot worse. Think of all the good you have and give thanks. Hug someone. Pat a cat. Smell a rose.