Watch CBS News

Keller @ Large: What We've Learned 4 Years Later

BOSTON (CBS) - It was a beautiful afternoon on Saturday, and chances are you weren't in front of the TV to catch WBZ's live coverage of the One Boston Day ceremony in Dorchester.

Too bad if you missed it.

In the two years since the city declared the anniversary of the marathon murders a day of community bonding and goodwill expressed through "acts of kindness," it has turned into one of the most inspiring public events of the year.

One reason was on display during that brief ceremony in Dorchester, where Bostonians gathered to plant flowers and spruce up Peabody Square.

The family of Martin Richard was there, and Bill Richard spoke, eloquently as always.

one boston day wreath laying
The families of Martin Richard and Lingzi Lu lay a wreath at the site of one of the explosions in the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing. (WBZ-TV)

"A lot of people look at us and think and wonder how we do it," he said. "The answer is, it's within our family, the strength of our family. But if you look to your left and look to your right and look around, this is the reason, this is how we do it. This is how we move forward."

For me, those words are a powerful lesson about what we've learned from that terrible day, four years after it occurred.

It isn't that we learned something new.

The generosity and caring of Bostonians is on display every day in neighborhoods like Dorchester, where people help each other because it's the right thing to do.

But the attack on our city brought those values into sharp relief, and reminded us that the only thing of real value any of us have is each other.

Saturday was a beautiful day alright.

In more ways than one.

Listen to Jon's commentary:

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.