“This is our F***ing City.”

These were the words of ‘Big Papi’ David Ortiz before the Boston Red Sox played their game this last Saturday, the first sporting event in Boston after an emotional day which saw much of the Boston area on lockdown and afraid.

This was not about the 35,152 in attendance at Fenway Park that afternoon.

This was not even about the over 600,000 brave citizens of Boston.

This was for every single man women and children in this great country of ours.

There are times when we are One Nation; sometimes however we are one singular city. This was one of those times.

Watching the opening ceremonies of Saturday’s game between the Red Sox and the Kansas City Royals I felt tears in my eyes. ‘Man Tears’ but tears nonetheless. Looking out on that field with our sports heroes standing in awe of the real heroes in our life. It puts everything in perspective. I was so proud of our brothers and sisters in Boston that day. So proud.

It was a testament of the power of sports in our lives. There were those who wondered why we should gather for a game in the wake of unspeakable tragedy. Those people simply do not get it. Don’t bother trying to explain it they will never get it.

Our love of sports allows us a slight return to normalcy after a difficult week. These games allow us to come together as a community in a time of crisis, allows those who have suffered through a shared tragedy to heal together. It gives us an opportunity to stand with our brothers and sisters and say “I am here for you.” We a given the chance to come together as a people to say, “Here we are. We are still standing…”

“We are Boston.”