Van Ree's Voice

The strength of love.

I’ve heard many say that they don’t like reading or listening to the news on account of how depressing it is, and many have said that they don’t like to learn about all the bad that goes on in this world.

Even though I work in the newsprint business, I am also one of those people.

Seeing the tragedy that befell in Boston earlier this week, it may be hard for the sour, sickly feeling in your stomach to disappear.

We think of the families of those who perished and those who are injured. We think of how the day had started just like any other Boston Marathon and ended with the unimaginable – much like the morning of September 11 so many years ago.

Sadly, there is nothing to change the past and stop what happened. Now we must do what we did in the days following 9-11 and comfort those hurting.

As not to become one of the constant reminders of this tragic event, I will switch to the purpose of my column this week – the perseverance of love.

I also lost a good friend from back home this weekend, and just like most of you have experienced, I am experiencing how hard it is to imagine a hole in your life where a certain person use to be.

It’s hard to think that they will not wake up and face another day like you will and to realize that they won’t have the chance to change the world in someway – which is an opportunity granted to each of us every day.

She had a young daughter who every night for a while will ask where her mother went and her daughter will only be able to remember her mother’s warmth and smile.

The love of others helps us through things other than grief and sadness, but sometimes that is the kind of love needed most.

The love and affection that you show to someone else may be the most powerful gift you can give another person.

Love means being unselfish, caring and something that is truly indescribable.

I found out about my friend’s passing on our drive back from the Nebraska Press Association Convention in Lincoln this weekend, and as the pit in my stomach grew I felt alone.

Jumping into my boyfriend’s pickup outside of our office, I felt drained as I told him what had happened. Without saying a word, he took me into his arms, gave me a peck on the cheek and held me tight.

You can bet at this point I cried my eyes out for a good little amount of time, but I also felt the stomach pit lift a little.

My boyfriend didn’t know my friend personally or the kind of person that she was, but he knew that she was important to me and that was enough.

Most of us don’t personally know those few that lost their lives or those injured during the Boston race, but that doesn’t mean our hearts won’t suffer for them and suffer with the loved ones that they left behind.

It’s nice to see support for Boston on platforms such as Facebook and the efforts to comfort those in Boston widespread - just as it is after any tragedy in America.

Yes, I think that it is extremely important to find out what went wrong and what happened, but it is equally important to come together as a nation – just as we always have, to support one another in a time some need it most.

I have talked about my hometown in past columns in both good and bad lights, but support is one thing Rochester will never lack.

Just as I have seen the same action here, such as the support I have heard and seen for high school student Derek Hill and others battling illness or injury.

No matter what differences two people had in school or in Rochester in general, if someone was in need everyone in the community came out in support. Rochester is a family – sometimes a dysfunctional family – but a family nonetheless. I think Sidney is a family just the same.

Like I have said, I think that love is probably one of the most powerful things we possess and can give to one another.

Lao Tzu once said, “Being deeply loved gives you strength; loving deeply gives you courage.”

Giving all of ourselves to another person can be scary, but once you find the right person, it’s amazing.

I know I’m young and lack some of the world perspective that older generations have, but I think that what is needed most right now is to provide those in need of strength love to fill that empty place in their lives and support to those affected by tragedy.

Hannah Van Ree can be contacted at [email protected].