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Yesterday, I woke up to an email from my Mom about a bridge collapse in Minneapolis. She had just written to let me know that everything was OK. I immediately went to my local news website (Startribune.com), and also opened up CNN and BBC News. The Minneapolis 35W bridge collapse was the leading story on all three. As of today, it's still leading on a lot of national news sites. I'll say this: it's very weird to see a town like Minneapolis on BBC. Especially in a situation like this.

One of the most difficult parts of being away is being away when something like this happens. I've lost both of my dad's parents while I was in France - my grandfather when I was living there when I was seven, and my grandmother in the Spring of 2006 while I was studying in Paris. I didn't get to go to either of their funerals. Luckily, this time, everyone I know is OK, but that doesn't diminish in any way the tragedy of the incident, or my personal connection to Minneapolis and also that bridge. My mother takes that bridge every day to work, and I've driven over it thousands of times during my life. It has a beautiful view down the Mississippi river - including the new Jean Nouvel-designed Guthrie Theater on the shore. All I can do is send my love to my family back in Minneapolis and hope for the best. While distance is fun and exciting, and I believe necessary in developing oneself, it's also very difficult at times like this.