Honoring Our Heroes

This past week, Boston laid to rest two fallen heroes, both Boston Firefighters from Engine 33 Ladder 15 on Boylston Street. I can’t help but feel this tragedy at home even though I have no true connection to either hero we have lost. There is something about those special people who put on a uniform to keep us safe – Police Officers, Firefighters and Military personnel – that can’t really be put into words. I think it may be hard for some people to feel this connection, if you don’t personally know someone whose job consists of these primary factors: 1) putting their life at risk and 2) for the safety and well-being of others. How many words can be said about someone who has the heart and soul to do this? In my opinion, never enough. Any one of these men or women who do such, will also humbly tell you the love and passion they have for their job.

I am lucky enough to live among one of these heroes. There are behaviors and words of his that illustrate this indefinable character I write about today and I am not sure I will ever understand fully, but I know I will always honor it. It takes a tremendous person to put themselves directly in danger, solely for the safety of others. I’m not sure words can express how courageous, heroic and special that is and I my only wish is for people to recognize this more often.

My husband served four years in the United States Marine Corps during which he was deployed to Afghanistan for two, eight month tours. While your spouse is away at danger, you can’t help but have those kinds of thoughts. You fight it, you deny it, you avoid the news, but it’s still there.

I never really expressed these questions and thoughts in depth with anyone, because well, you don’t want to think them, never mind let others know you’re thinking them.

When they come back and after some time passes, most of those thoughts become irrelevant. So as I reflect on the heroes we lost last week, I can’t help but think about their spouses and families. My thoughts were steady for 7-8 months. A Police Officer and Firefighter could be in the line of duty at any moment, any day of the week. But again, that is your husband’s job. You support him, and you pick up the pieces and keep them together when he can’t because his job is calling him to protect not only you, but others.

So today, not only do I raise my glass to all of our heroes, especially those we most recently lost, but also to their families for you are the ones who are behind our heroes. To the parents, you are what made our heroes and to the spouses and children, you are the ones who continue the support, carry the honor, and remain the backbone at home.

Like anything unfamiliar, it is hard to relate to something whether it is tragic or not, if you are not well informed about it, or have no real connection to it. Our country and even more so this generation, is too far disconnected from our heroes.  I hope that through my small circle of friends and family, and also through this blog, I can share the importance and awareness that some people may be missing so that they too, may honor our heroes and their families , even if it may be a simple thought or prayer from time to time.