幾天前，波士頓馬拉松賽事的爆炸案轟動整個城市，某些地區更陷入癱瘓。居民雖因暴力事件而惶恐不安，但他們卻勇於回應恐懼的威脅。波士頓一位19歲學生祖安娜說：「我們決定完成馬拉松賽事。」
他們在週五晚上安排一個活動，在最後五英里的馬拉松賽道上遊行，直到警方強迫他們停下來為止。這次遊行是一個非逆來順受的標記，而是向世界展示希望的象徵，波士頓市能以善制惡。
爆炸案當日，祖安娜與一些朋友也到場為馬拉松的運動員打氣，正正是距離終點五英里的地方，她憶述：「突然一片混亂，滿街是警察，並告訴人們比賽已結束。」祖安娜很驚訝，沒有人能解釋發生什麼事，連手提電話也不能運作。傳聞發生兩宗爆炸。然後，她聽到兩位警察談論爆炸襲擊。祖安娜說：「我猛然想起我的朋友也在其中，不知他們是否安全。」
她不知怎辦，只好進入一間快餐店。不久，她其中一位參加馬拉松的朋友也來到。祖安娜說：「我給他買了點東西吃，就聽到他講述事情的經過。」這些微小的愛德行動是要証明，不可因恐懼便不知所措。
幸好，祖安娜的朋友們都安然無恙，即使其中一位很接近爆炸的地點。她又說：「不幸，並非許多家庭和其他的學生都能說出同樣的話。我只好為他們祈禱。」
每晚，祖安娜都會參加10時的彌撒，這一回她邀請了她所有的朋友跟她一起去。出乎她的意料之外，所有朋友都有出席。通常參加彌撒的人數不多，但這一次卻有人滿之患。不僅是基督徒，連其他信念的人士也感到有必要祈禱。
超過一萬二千人已打算參加週五晚上的遊行。儘管仍然籠罩異樣和悲痛的氣氛，但祖安娜卻肯定說：「我們要向社會展示愛是更強烈，同時，更相信合一世界是可能的，我們都盡了自己的一小部份。」
美國紐約《活城》（Living City）雜誌蘇珊妮．贊森（Susanne Janssen）整理
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Thank you for showing such a wonderful concern.All my prayers and good wishes to you. May God bless you.
Dear Joanna, so good to see you on this article!! I miss you much!! All my unity, always! With love, Pauline
dearest,
May God continue to work in you for the realization of love and unity in the world.
Grazie Joanna! I tuoi occhi così pieni di luce e di vita già sono un messaggio. La notizia della marcia è consolante: davvero il male non ha l’ultima parola!!!
Thanks, Joanna, for being a such example of courage and for replying to the violence; your faith in God and your blessed convinction that Love will be always stronger than hate and fear. God, of course, will be running with you, blessing and protecting you and every person taking part in tomorrow’s event. It will be atonishing successful. As I’m too far, I´ll be there with my prayers, from Rome.
What a beautiful consolation and encouragement after the disaster. I emailed this news to all my friends to share this hope with them. The event tomorrow is a witness of ” light through darkness”. I will follow the event with my prayers.
For a second after the news, I thought it to be a scary thing to go on runs like these; after reading Joanna’s story, suddenly there is relief and courage that, yes, we are stronger than fear in combating terrorism. I’ll keep on joining these worthwhile activities even just to prove that love is stronger. Thank you