A Little Friday Gratitude: Those Who Risk Their Lives – So I Don’t Have To
Fri, Jul 17, 2009
We have a treat today, a guest post from my sweet husband, the CPA.
I awoke this morning as I often do, with the remnants of a vibrant but quickly fading dream on my mind. I cannot recall what the dream was about, but it was a pleasant one.
As I struggled to recall the details of my nice little dream, the thought came to me that I seldom have nightmares. Oh, every once in a while, I will awake in the night from a disturbing dream, but they are seldom truly upsetting.
Then I got to thinking about how fortunate I am for this. My aging father, who saw combat in two wars (World War II and Korea) told me of the nightmares he has had over the years from some of the terrible things he went through while he was in harm’s way. Sixty-five years later, he still occasionally has bad dreams about things he saw in the Pacific while fighting the Japanese. My older brother fought in Vietnam as a Marine machine gunner in 1970, and he saw some terrible things that have caused interruptions to his sleep on countless occasions.
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a pretty common thing in our society today. According to the National Institute of Mental Health (http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/post-traumatic-stress-disorder-ptsd/index.shtml), PTSD is an anxiety disorder that can develop after exposure to a terrifying event or ordeal in which grave physical harm occurred or was threatened. Traumatic events that may trigger PTSD include violent personal assaults, natural or human-caused disasters, accidents, or military combat. About 7.7 million Americans suffer from PTSD in any given year. This represents about 3.5 percent of all adults in America. However, about 19 percent of Vietnam veterans have suffered from this malady, and I am sure the numbers are also high among those who have fought in Iraq, Afghanistan, and other wars. I am certain that first responders such as police officers, firefighters, EMT personnel and others who see terrible things on a regular basis also are subject to bad dreams from the traumatic things they have seen.
War, terrible accidents, and violent crime are part of our world. Bad things are out there. When we live in the protective shell provided by those who put their lives on the line, it is easy to forget these dangers and realities. Sure, we see them on television and in the movies, but we are so hardened by all the violence we’re exposed to all our lives on the screen that it seldom hits home as being reality.
It is a wonderful blessing to be sheltered from the harm, violence, and ugly things that exist in our world. I am grateful for those who protect us in today’s society. Thank you to the men and women in the military, in the police forces, on the firefighting squads, and the emergency medical teams who voluntarily take care of many of the dangers and clean up the messes in our world, so guys like me can sleep in peace and enjoy the dreams of the protected.
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July 17th, 2009 at 5:50 am
Hi CPA – thanks for the wonderful post. You’re SO right, we have become so desensitized to the forces around us that we receive protection from. Being married to a COP and having two sons in the armed services, I’m more aware than ever of just how much they give to afford each of us the safety we’re surrounded by each day. I’m just saddened that so many folks take all this for granted and truly are not thankful or even respectful to all the COPS, military personnel, EMTs, firemen, etc. that literally put their lives on the line for us daily.
My hats off to you for sharing your thoughts with us and applaud your father and brother for their service. May we all express our gratitude to the great blessings of shelter from harm, violence and the ugly things of this world by those brave and selfless folks that care to serve.
July 17th, 2009 at 6:01 am
–>I live in a military town and am thankful everyday to not only those in the military but their families who support them while they’re gone.
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July 17th, 2009 at 7:25 am
That was beautifully put. I’ve never thought to be thankful for my dreams – or lack thereof.
July 17th, 2009 at 9:15 am
I loved this post. It’s so true, we are so blessed to be safe. I am grateful that I haven’t had to experience anything traumatic in my life so far. Hooray for good dreams!!
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July 18th, 2009 at 4:26 am
I absolutely think it’s true that to some extent the general population – or at least a good chunk of the general population – has forgotten how lucky they are to have servicemen and women who fight for them everyday.
I don’t know that I wholly agree with the link to a desensitization to violence. Excuses are excuses, no matter how great they sound on paper. But I do think it’s a pity so few people remember to be thankful for those who essentially safeguard their future.
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July 18th, 2009 at 8:06 pm
There is a quote that my Drill Instructor, at Paris Island, told us that we had to live by:
“People sleep peaceably in their beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf.”George Orwell
I was to learn that I was capable of doing things that went against everything I was taught growing up, in church and by my parents. While I realize that I did what was required to keep myself and my fellow Marines alive, it did not make it easier to live with. It has been almost twenty years but I still have dreams ever so often.
It is nice to hear someone say thank you when it is not expected. I am used to most people taking our military members and veterans for granted. So thank you.
July 20th, 2009 at 6:26 am
Both my parents served in the Navy during WWII. Neither of them ever mentioned problems sleeping to us kids, although I am sure they had terrible memories of that time. They were proud to serve. And we were proud of them.
Thank you Jefferson.
July 20th, 2009 at 11:19 am
P.S. –I think we need to have more posts from the CPA!! He’s so great!
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July 21st, 2009 at 8:25 am
Nice post and I agree with Wife of Odie–would love to see more from you! Love, Sis
July 22nd, 2009 at 4:05 am
What a great post! I used to know an EMT who would tell me all kinds of stories about his day-to-day job and I remember wondering how he was able to handle what he did for a living. I don’t think most of us would be able to deal with the things that he saw on a regular basis. So I, too, am grateful for those who sacrifice and work hard to make sure the rest of us are protected and safe.
July 29th, 2009 at 3:43 pm
i can’t believe i missed this post….talk about falling behind in my blog reading!
anyway, its a bit late, but thanks CPA and Tabitha…those were some really nice words. Honestly, I volunteer as an EMT because it’s fun for me. I really like to help people. Sure sometimes they aren’t so nice back to me, or sometimes I complain about “repeat offenders” but its cool to look back on your day and say “you know what, I helped someone today”
I just “adopted” a soldier and she’s a medic for a security team in Iraq, and what I told her is this:
I can’t do what you do. That’s beyond me. But I’m doing the best I can here to make sure that the country you are defending is safe while you guys are gone. And that’s the truth….I’m just trying to do my part, tiny as it is. So thanks for the thank you…it means a lot