We See You: Back the Blue Part I
We see you. We grasp the courage you have to go where others will not. The courage to face unspeakable darkness. The willingness to step into the unknown. The capacity to see and smell things that most people prefer not to discuss. We see you. Thank you for your courage.
We see you. You are our protectors. You protect us from evil. You protect us from our own poor choices. You protect us when our bodies are injured and when our health fails us. You protect our property when it is threatened by fire. We see you.
We see you. You serve. You serve in the extreme cold and when the heat is unbearable. You serve us when we face tragedy. You serve us when we are not eager recipients. You serve us when we overwhelmed with fear. You serve us when our property has been damaged or stolen. You serve us in the terrifying moment of finding out a loved one has lost their life. You serve selflessly. We see you. Thank you for your service.
We see you. You are people of honor. When citizens of our own community are rude, belligerent, and unhelpful, you are individuals of honor. When a person tells you in a restaurant that your meal break represents their tax dollars at work, you reflect an attitude of honor. When an intoxicated person screams obscenities at you as you attempt to treat their medical needs, you are a person of honor. We see you. And we choose to honor you today.
We see you. You choose to help those in need every single day. You help by purchasing meals for those that are desperate out of your own pocket. You help those that are helpless with countless lift assists every year. You help the stranded motorist. You help people who know their loved one has drowned in one of the bodies of water in our county. You help during the daylight hours and you help others when most of our asleep. We see you. We are grateful for your help.
We see you. You are generous. Generous with your time. You volunteer to go save someone’s else home from destruction. You are generous with your skills. You are generous with your encouragement when you take time to talk to small children that are fascinated with your profession. You are generous with each other. Covering each other whenever needed and however needed. We see you. Your generosity has not gone unnoticed.
We see you. You choose sacrifice every day. You sacrifice your own personal safety for the well-being of Hood County 24/7, 365 days a year. You sacrifice time with your family when the rest of us are eating Thanksgiving Dinner or having Christmas with our families. You sacrifice sleep to go on a medical call or to respond to an injury accident. Your entire life is wrapped up in sacrifice. We don’t always comprehend what sacrifice looks like for you, but nevertheless we see you. You are sacrificial.