There is one topic that columnists across the country cannot seem to stay away from this week — the Monday bombing tragedy in Boston, which we all watched on television.

It’s just one of those events where we want to repeat our story over and over again to friends of where we were, where our friends running in the race were when the bombs went off and how many people we know in the Boston area.

Some have said they cannot watch the footage on the news on the loop more than several times and arguably so — it is upsetting and heart breaking to watch.

I had several coaches and family friends in the race and I knew they were okay. But in one instant, total strangers who died or lost their limbs seemed like people we all know and care about.

I find myself thinking about these victims, what they were going through and how their families are handling all of this chaos.

I know it is a cliché in these types of events to think and reflect on how precious life is, but I think that is so important and all a part of empathizing with those who came closer to death this week than they wanted to. They want to tell their stories of what the bomb sounded like, what they saw after people were running and crying from smoke and how this has changed their lives forever.

Dr. George Velmahos of Massachusetts General Hospital told reporters Tuesday that as his amputee patients woke up for the first time since the trauma, they told him they were, “just happy to be alive,” when he explained to them what had happened to them.

Velhamos seemed almost moved to tears and humbled while recanting this on live television — to me it seemed like one of those moments where we know and can feel that God is in control. “It’s a paradox to see patients wake up without an extremity and feel lucky,” Velhamos said.

I think about all of the things I wanted to complain about in Selma and write columns about on Monday — how the mosquito population in April is already out of control in the city, how we need to grow economically and recruit more industry and even how we need to have peace in the projects of Selma. But all those ssues seem so miniscule and small when thinking of those complaints in comparison to the Lord’s giant and unfathomable love for us. He has a huge plan for our lives and we feel that plan even more when the chaos of the world weighs on our shoulders.

I am thankful there are people left in this world that love life so much and trust God enough to where they are grateful to be alive when they wake up from a scene set by wickedness and despair.