Like a bunch of other Rainers, I attended Bloggers Connect in San Francisco yesterday - a meeting of some of the top blogging minds in the country. It was an inspirational event, with opportunities for learning, exchanging ideas, meeting up with old friends, making new acquaintances, and much more.

However, before launching into my musing on what I think I learned, I feel compelled to comment on the tragedy in Minneapolis, which certainly put a damper on my spirits last night.

I learned about this in a voice mail from my wife, currently in Michigan, which I picked up on the drive home from Orange Count Airport about 11 PM. Having lived in Minnesota we have driven across that bridge many times, and my wife, now working for a company that is based there, was on it just a couple of weeks ago. I know my immediate thoughts were of the people who were on that bridge when it collapsed and the horror that must have hit them as the bridge collapsed.

I immediately thought of Teresa Boardman, who I met in person at the event, and Bonnie Erickson, in St, Paul, and others I know through various connections who have nothing to do with the AR community. I'm sure the shock of what has happened is still vivid in their minds as Minneapolis struggles to deal with this tragedy.

I'm sure I share with everyone here a concern for those who we know that may have been impacted, or worse, hurt or killed in the bridge collapses. I hope we hear from any and all fellow Rainers that all is well with them and people they know. But know that our thoughts and prayers are with those who may have suffered in some way from this catastrophe.

Such events always bring into sharp focus how transient life can be...that at any moment tragedy can strike, and our lives and that of others we know and care about can be forever changed...without warning, or opportunity to say good-by, or to finish what we wanted to do. It reminds us of how important our friends and family are, and that these relationships are what life is all about, and that they cannot be taken for granted...not how many homes we sell, how much money we make, what possessions we acquire, or what we achieve in our lives.

This started out as a post to talk about Bloggers Connect, but having veered off into this discussion, because it could not be avoided, it somehow seems inappropriate to switch gears so abruptly and continue on with my original intent.

I'll be back.