martinjc
Contributor
King and Lady - please feel free to move this to a more appropriate location - but this seemd to be the right place. I sent this e-mail note out two days ago to my family and friends - and as it the incident touched me so deeply - I thought I would share it with everyone here as well. Thanks!!
As I sat and watched events unfold last week, and the heroic deeds and sacrifices of the emergency personnel who responded to this horrific tragedy, I made a silent promise to myself to thank every police officer and fire fighter I came in contact with for their constant vigilance, dedication and self sacrifice. These men and women certainly don't serve in these roles for the money or recognition - it is something intrinsically heroic that drives them to do what they do so well whenever they are called to serve.
Today as I was waiting in line to pick up lunch - I turned to see a young Columbus police officer standing behind me. I thought, here is your first chance to make good on that promise, but for some reason I stayed silent. Just standing there in line..thinking...I don't know if I was embarrassed, or afraid I would embarrass the officer, or that my words of thanks just wouldn't be enough somehow. Scenes played in my head of this young man joking with his comrades at shift change about this bumbling idiot trying to say thank you without any real concept of what their experience was like. As I went to fill my drink at the soda fountain, I watched as he carried his lunch to a small table, and a sudden resolve came over me. How could I even think to make excuses to avoid some potential small embarrassment on my part - given all I had seen in the last week?
I walked up to the officer and said, "I know this may sound kind of strange, but I just wanted to say thank you." He looked confused and said, "What for?"
I told him that after seeing everything police and fire fighters have done over the past week, I had made a promise to myself to personally thank every one of them I meet for everything they do for us. He paused for a second, smiled and with barley concealed emotion in his voice said quietly, "Thank you."
As I walked back to my office, with tears in my eyes, I felt an amazing sense of calm and well being, and a hope that in some small way, even for the briefest of moments, I may have eased the burden of duty he carries with him each day.
I wanted to convey this episode to my close friends and family in hopes to start a ground-swell of personal thanks for all emergency service personnel. Please forward this note to your friends and family. As you travel through each day - and happen upon a fire fighter or police officer - please consider taking the time just to say a simple thank you. It doesn't take much time, and doesn't seem like much -- but it can have such an impact on those that willingly put their lives on the line each day for their fellow human beings.
Thank you!
Jim
As I sat and watched events unfold last week, and the heroic deeds and sacrifices of the emergency personnel who responded to this horrific tragedy, I made a silent promise to myself to thank every police officer and fire fighter I came in contact with for their constant vigilance, dedication and self sacrifice. These men and women certainly don't serve in these roles for the money or recognition - it is something intrinsically heroic that drives them to do what they do so well whenever they are called to serve.
Today as I was waiting in line to pick up lunch - I turned to see a young Columbus police officer standing behind me. I thought, here is your first chance to make good on that promise, but for some reason I stayed silent. Just standing there in line..thinking...I don't know if I was embarrassed, or afraid I would embarrass the officer, or that my words of thanks just wouldn't be enough somehow. Scenes played in my head of this young man joking with his comrades at shift change about this bumbling idiot trying to say thank you without any real concept of what their experience was like. As I went to fill my drink at the soda fountain, I watched as he carried his lunch to a small table, and a sudden resolve came over me. How could I even think to make excuses to avoid some potential small embarrassment on my part - given all I had seen in the last week?
I walked up to the officer and said, "I know this may sound kind of strange, but I just wanted to say thank you." He looked confused and said, "What for?"
I told him that after seeing everything police and fire fighters have done over the past week, I had made a promise to myself to personally thank every one of them I meet for everything they do for us. He paused for a second, smiled and with barley concealed emotion in his voice said quietly, "Thank you."
As I walked back to my office, with tears in my eyes, I felt an amazing sense of calm and well being, and a hope that in some small way, even for the briefest of moments, I may have eased the burden of duty he carries with him each day.
I wanted to convey this episode to my close friends and family in hopes to start a ground-swell of personal thanks for all emergency service personnel. Please forward this note to your friends and family. As you travel through each day - and happen upon a fire fighter or police officer - please consider taking the time just to say a simple thank you. It doesn't take much time, and doesn't seem like much -- but it can have such an impact on those that willingly put their lives on the line each day for their fellow human beings.
Thank you!
Jim
