I just witnessed an amazing thing. Rivers faculty, students,
and staff gathered this morning for a forty-minute assembly to honor the
victims of yesterday's horrible tragedy in Boston. After a few introductory
remarks, we let individual members of the community speak. Most who spoke were
students. They were amazing! They talked about their fears, about the need to
tell those that we love that we indeed love them, about the strength we need to
fight hatred with love, about the need to support each other. Before we filed
out in silence to gather at the flagpole, I told the students that I was blown
away by their love and wisdom. It was a great Rivers moment, filled with honest
emotion and reflection. As three students lowered the flag to half-mast, I
prayed for their safety and silently thanked them for their willingness to
share and be vulnerable. It is in that vulnerability that we find connection to
others and strengthen our community.
