Fire Service BEYOND Fires
Before I get into this week’s message, I want to let you know about my NEW class I’m starting at Mosaic Yoga.
Many of us feel a calling toward a specific mission or goal in life which communicates so very strongly that it simply cannot be ignored. For our daughter, animals. For our son, planes. For me, teaching. For my husband, the Fire Department.
But for each of us, there lies a step further than what the initial title infers. For Abigail, Equine Therapy and the gentle healing of horses has become significant in her life. For Benjamin, the history of flying machines throughout the years and the mechanics and engineering behind the plane calls out to him. For me, it’s the process of learning by recognizing the symptoms of connecting dots, a cold chill, an “ah ha” moment, an eye dilation; “Ohhhh, now I understand!” (I LOVE these moments)
For Michael, it’s service.
I’m married to a man who holds down a full-time job and still manages to have 7-volunteer jobs operating simultaneously. (Well … the number keeps changing, but 7 appears to be a realistic average, just the same!)
The harsh reality is that almost two-thirds of the firefighters battling fires today will be battling cancer tomorrow.
-FCSN
Firefighter Cancer Support Network (FCSN)
In the yoga world , and according to Krishna in the Bhagavad Gita, Karma Yoga is the spiritual practice of "selfless action performed for the benefit of others." Over the years, I have come to realize that the majority of my teacher friends had super powers beyond their skills of teaching a specific subject. They often had an artistic outlet (playing a musical instrument, acting, singing, etc.) but in addition, they found that their teaching skills were simply a skill they attained through education and craft. Relaying it to service took that skill to a whole new level.
To clarify …
How many of you knew a math teacher who was superb in the skills of math but struggled to teach it effectively? I had this teacher in the 10th grade and struggled with him! I felt like he was simply speaking to me in a different language. At the semester break I transferred into another class and discovered a teacher who could translate for me the language of math with succinct skill and humor. He allowed me to LOVE math. One day I discovered that he taught math to a group of kids who were disadvantaged in ways that kept them delayed and frustrated before school began. One day, he asked me to join him as a tutor. I did, and I loved it. He taught me that I could turn something I didn’t understand into something I could teach, all within a semester’s time.
He and I were not paid for this hour before school, it was simply something that needed to be done.
I know you know what I mean …
Where do your passions lead you?
Well, alongside MANY, MANY others, this is part of Michael’s journey to provide service within something that he loves, the Fire Department.
Handsome Unified Fire Authority Firefighters at the
Fallen Firefighter Memorial in Colorado Springs.
Pipes and Drums.
International Association of Firefighters
The International Association of Firefighters Fallen Firefighter Memorial is an annual event that honors the memory of our brothers and sisters who made the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty. The Memorial is located in Colorado Springs, Colorado, and hosts a solemn ceremony every September.
