By Vernon Hiller | Our self identity is so often tied to the career we choose. That is why choosing the right career can be one of the most important decisions you will ever make.
While it wasn't the main focus, I appreciated your mention of how under certain conditions, superficial differences become irrelevant and everyone appears similar. Shared common humanity indeed.
Wishing you well as you transition into the next chapter of your life Vernon. Hopefully you'll have time to continue writing wonderful articles like this one — you have such a wealth of knowledge, experience and wisdom others can benefit from.
Thank you so much Susan. I feel so blessed to be attached to a group of such decent people, especially now that my career with the fire service has come to a close. Hopefully I can continue to give back in new but equally effective ways.
Thank you Brian. Coming from you that means a lot. Coming from a completely different profession, writing is still an arduous task for me, but like everything, with time and practice I hope to improve in my ability to translate my thoughts to words.
There's just so much more to being a fire fighter than fighting fires (as if that weren't enough!) There's an emotional and mental toughness required that can only be kept in check with equal parts compassion and humility. The time spent away from family and the process required to create a similar trust between virtual strangers upon whom your life depends is an amazing process, which, doubtless, has made you who you are today. We are lucky to have you.
That is one of the nicest and most insightful things anyone has ever said to me Anna. I'm so glad that our paths have crossed. In a very unexpected way, we are all being given the opportunity not just to have our own stories heard, but to give one another the freedom to tell theirs. It is only through sharing our stories that we develop greater understanding and find commonality. I miss my crews, but I'm lucky to have all of you.
Ditto everything Brian said.
While it wasn't the main focus, I appreciated your mention of how under certain conditions, superficial differences become irrelevant and everyone appears similar. Shared common humanity indeed.
Wishing you well as you transition into the next chapter of your life Vernon. Hopefully you'll have time to continue writing wonderful articles like this one — you have such a wealth of knowledge, experience and wisdom others can benefit from.
Thank you so much Susan. I feel so blessed to be attached to a group of such decent people, especially now that my career with the fire service has come to a close. Hopefully I can continue to give back in new but equally effective ways.
This was a brilliant and almost poetic glimpse into the life and experiences of a firefighter. Thank you for your service and thanks for sharing.
Thank you Brian. Coming from you that means a lot. Coming from a completely different profession, writing is still an arduous task for me, but like everything, with time and practice I hope to improve in my ability to translate my thoughts to words.
There's just so much more to being a fire fighter than fighting fires (as if that weren't enough!) There's an emotional and mental toughness required that can only be kept in check with equal parts compassion and humility. The time spent away from family and the process required to create a similar trust between virtual strangers upon whom your life depends is an amazing process, which, doubtless, has made you who you are today. We are lucky to have you.
That is one of the nicest and most insightful things anyone has ever said to me Anna. I'm so glad that our paths have crossed. In a very unexpected way, we are all being given the opportunity not just to have our own stories heard, but to give one another the freedom to tell theirs. It is only through sharing our stories that we develop greater understanding and find commonality. I miss my crews, but I'm lucky to have all of you.
Sent with all sincerity, dear Vernon.