The Book

“Oh my God you cannot make that stuff up!” The small group of police officers walking back to their patrol cars were intermittently illuminated by the evenly spaced street lights. Water still ran down driveways and gutters from the recent rains and the streets sparkled in the night reflecting the now clear sky and the lights of the city. The officers laughed loudly as they retold the story of the call they were just on. The rookie was even laughing along although he was taking the brunt of the jibes and story telling. As they reached the parked patrol cars, the group slowly dispersed, laughter faded and as the last officer stepped into his car, he turned to the rookie and off handedly said “We should be writing this stuff down. It would make a helluva book.”. The taillights faded into the night and each officer headed to the next call.

First responders and veterans are a collection of stories just like this. If you are a first responder, then as you read the paragraph above I suspect it vividly took you back to some poignant place in your career where something similar happened. The intensity of the shared experiences in the field is profound. The bonds built between officers, deputies, firefighters, soldiers and marines often lasts a lifetime. The humor we find in the midst of the fray is often not understood (or approved of) by those outside of the first responder/military world. As a matter of fact, I have made the mistake of cracking jokes that are culturally appropriate for us with a citizen observer present who looks at me as though I’m mentally ill and later asked me about it. Not great.

Very few of us had the foresight to take pictures of the stuff early in our careers. I know I have few photos from the early times and the ones that survive are like gold at this point. Few still of us have the talent, time, energy or know-how to write anything coherent about our experiences. So, one by one…they fade. Memories just do. It is the nature of memories.

It is the nature of memories that is unless we share them. The more we share our stories, our laughter, and yes the tough times the less they fade. I may not remember something, but you may and you remind me. Stories told around a fire, over a beer or at a shared meal. These are the stories of the men and women who built the safety of our country. Who quite literally walked the fences here and abroad as others slept so that we might have peace. These are the stories of fallen comrades not forgotten, buffoons for leaders, tears by a graveside and laughter at some rookies’ expense. These stories are the threads in the fabric of freedom and safety in America. There are 4.6 million first responders (this doesn’t include public safety communications officers yet) in America and 1.3 million active duty military personnel. That’s a total of 5.9 million currently employed people with stories to tell. Each with hundreds of stories…and that doesn’t even begin to touch retirees.

You could write a book. You could get someone to write a book for you. Or, you could simply tell your story. You are the book. Share your experiences. Tell younger generations. Get together with other folks you work(ed) with. These stories are history and are important. Be the book and share your history. These stories are too often lost and they don’t need to be.

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