Goodness of people still outshines the evil

It is the state of being human that good and bad, cowardice and heroism exist in all of us. Within our nature is the ability to subvert something we need to survive and misuse it in the form of gluttony or waste.

It is within our power — in each of us — to choose good, but equally within our power to choose evil.

The historic events that began during the Boston Marathon this past week culminated in a manhunt that closed down the city for much of a day. We know that one suspect was killed in an exchange of gunfire with police and his younger brother — also a suspect in the bombing — led police on a daylong chase.

Developing alongside the tragic news coverage of people killed and maimed by the bombs were stories of us — ordinary Americans — who stood taller on that day in that moment, who refused to be bowed by the hateful actions of these assailants. Instead of responding with fear and panic, folks from around the world gathered in Boston and came together to fight fear and hate with love and mercy.

We were proud to read the story this week of the Alaska couple — Brent and Karin Cunningham of Sitka — who were part of this wave of compassion and caring that broke over the Boston area.

He had just finished the marathon when the Cunninghams crossed paths with Laura Wellington of Cambridge, Mass. What happened next is a story that was heard around the world this week and eventually reunited the Cunninghams and Wellington Thursday night back in Boston.

When the Cunninghams saw Wellington crying in the aftermath of the bombing, a half mile from the finish line that Wellington had trained for years to cross that day before being stopped by the blast, the two tried to console her. They gave her a blanket, and Brent gave her the medal he received for finishing the race shortly before the bombs denotated.

Touched by the act, Wellington posted the story on Facebook and asked for people’s help to reconnect with her Good Samaritans. By Wednesday, Alaska news outlets announced that the Samaritans were from Sitka.

Reunited, the two runners ended up with medals. Wellington said later in the day Monday that the race committee gave her a medal of her own. So when the two met again in Boston, Wellington repaid the kindness of the Sitka racers by making a gift to him of her medal.

It is too rare, and often fueled by tragedy, when we as humans put aside our differences and unite as Americans to stand our ground against a common foe. There is great power in remembering we are all brothers and sisters, more alike than different.

In tumultuous times it is worth remembering that even when the world seems darkest, the goodness of people still outshines the evil. This is the best in us, that in the face of fear so many people still choose to respond with kindness and mercy.