In light of the unbelievable tragedy that occurred yesterday in Boston, it feels inappropriate for us to be posting machine tech reviews, or product launch coverage, or competition recaps. We’ll return to our regularly scheduled coverage soon, but not today.
Today we want to share the words of our colleague and friend Ric Rhinehart, Executive Director of the Specialty Coffee Association of America. It’s a testament to specialty coffee – the industry we report on, the community we love – that we can look to our leadership to take on these bigger moments with words of eloquence and compassion.
Here’s Ric Rhinehart:
“I am still a bit dazed by it all as I sit here in Logan Airport waiting for my flight. After a week of hyper-activity, intense sharing, and re-energizing connectivity with the coffee family, the tragic culmination to the week we all experienced yesterday was especially heart breaking. For most of us, extreme emotional volatility is as unwelcome as extreme market volatility, and we got it in spades yesterday. Still, on reflection, I must be grateful that many of my prayers were answered, and it looks as though all in our coffee family survived without any physical wounds. The staff and Board of the SCAA all reported in, and all indications are that all of our members, exhibitors and guests are also unmarked by the explosions.
“For me personally, prayer remains a powerful solace, and I encourage all of you to connect with your universal truth in whatever manner you find most successful. We have much to appreciate, much to celebrate and much to overcome. In spite of it all, I remain convinced that reason can overcome fanaticism, that dialog trumps violence, and that most enduring of all, love will always outshine hate. Bless you all wherever you find yourselves today and thank you for all the positive energy you generate.”
We’re going to open the comments to this post so that Sprudge readers can share their Boston experiences with the wider community. We’ll be posting our own experience there; if you have the words, we encourage you to do the same. Our hearts are breaking for the families of the victims in Boston, but thank God that you, the person reading these words right now, are safe and okay and hopefully drinking a nice cup of something. Let’s talk together more in the comments below.
Thanks Ric, from all of us.
