John 3:16 – Be thankful, grateful, patient, charitable, kind, and smile, as it is infectious. God Bless America; protect our president and the military!
Over the years, the things at the time you may consider brave seem to pale in comparison when you think about what true bravery is; the things that make heroes do heroic acts.
It’s funny when this question is posed, and the spotlight is put on your own merits. Many of us have faced down bullies, lined up across the opponent’s scrimmage line, faced down a pitcher with a bat in hand, caught a thief in the act, put out a fire, or come to the aid of someone in need or distress. How about those dealing with a long-term illness, or helping others through those times?
Others like me have dared to be first, zipping 150′ in the air over a creek bed with Brown bears eating salmon while in Ketchikan, Alaska, landing on a platform four feet around an old Sitka Spruce tree. Only to be the first to climb a two-step stool perched on the edge of the next platform to do the next of many zips. I only shared this story as it wasn’t any great feat, but any act, even including asking a girl out for the first time, takes a certain amount of courage, or conducting your first meeting in front of a large group. Most things in life that make you stop and think, nervous, stressed, take a certain amount of preparedness, determination, and courage
Though my bravest moments are nothing like those in many wars past- facing down an enemy shooting at you with the intent of killing you, or maybe coming into close contact with wildlife, e.g., bears, moose, mountain lions, and the like, while hiking or camping, or with a shark while snorkeling. Maybe hike up a high mountain, scuba dive to deep depths, or spelunk into a cave of bats. Losing your job or income, with mouths to feed at home, and picking up your bootstraps to find work, etc. Bravery comes in all shapes and sizes, and each requires the same ingredients: grit, preparedness, courage, and determination to see it through, with no thought to the outcome once you head down that path.
However, foremost in my mind today, as we approach 9/11, are the firefighters, police, and first responders most unarmed, carrying 30 pounds of equipment and an axe, who ran into the flaming, 80-plus-story Twin Towers in NYC to save as many lives as they could before they collapsed and died in the act. Many police and firefighters lose their lives yearly doing such things on a smaller scale, and I might add, without yearly recognition or fanfare. It takes a certain kind of courage to run into something that most are running away from to save their own lives.
Now that takes extreme bravery and courage, as many knew the situation was dire and they probably wouldn’t make it out alive, but they did anyway. Simply because… It was the job they signed up to do! I can’t even imagine the horror of their loved ones watching that day play out in front of them in real time on T.V. Like you or those who ran to save loved ones were expecting them to come home that day to help with dinner, homework, and household chores, play with the kids before kissing them goodnight, and the like too.
Point to Ponder: We live in a world that, over the past 20 years or so, has come to demonize our law enforcement agencies. Yet, those who do will be the first to call them when things go south in their lives. We need to remind ourselves of my closing line in the above paragraph… They too have loved ones waiting for them to come home at night from their jobs of Serving and Protecting!
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