Meaning of Duck Boat Parade

I was out of state when the Red Sox championship duck boat parade happened last month. I understand that some estimates had the crowds at over 1,000,000 on-lookers. Many that made up the crowd were families - moms, dads & kids. I had a chance to watch the parade last night for the first time, thanks to the magic of a DVR & thanks to my daughter for taping it for me. Like most people, I was caught up in the celebration of an unexpected World Series win until a reporter mentioned that this was the first large gathering of people in Boston since the Boston Marathon bombings. The small ceremony at the finish line by Jonny Gomes & Saltie with the owners of Marathon Sports, along with the singing of "God Bless America," was quite moving to me. It also symbolized to me that healing from the April bombings had come full circle. People from across New England were not afraid to gather once again with their families & friends in Boston. Victims effected by the bombings were shown rebuilding their lives one step at a time. Life is going on. As Big Papi eloquently said, no one can take away our freedom. Boston has a championship team to be proud of. Boston also has a city of strong people who are not intimidated by terrorists. "Boston Strong" lives on every day.