I saw the most impressive display of courage this week. The leadership at the fire academy had a bit of a schedule change for us.We were supposed to sit thru a 6 hour lecture on forceable entry; oh how fun! Instead we plunged (no pun intended) into the exciting world of rappelling.
Not being a big fan of heights in my latter years, I was not very enthused about climbing out a 5th story window teathered to a piece of rope. When asked if there was anyone in the group who was not thrilled about the whole rappelling idea, I quickly rose to the occasion and moved to the crowd of beginners and cowards.
I hid behind my camera taking shots of my fellow classmates as they, one by one, awkwardly climbed out the window and scaled down the side of the tower. As the group of next -in- liners got smaller, the anxiety and impending fall to our death became evident on all our faces. Fear had overcome and our expressions showed that fear.
I did not want to be the last one to go out, so I volunteered fourth from last. It was hard for me to make that move over the ledge, and not wanting to display to those below my angst, I quickly moved to the outside. Not 5 seconds after my weight was on the rope I felt a rush of confidence. my fear was gone and I zipped down the wall like a pro. (except for that harness... permanent damage to the twig and berries.)
I rushed back up the tower to continue shooting pictures as the next victim was hooked up. With some hesitation they made it out and down to the pavement.
As the last contestant of the day moved toward the window, his eyes looked glazed and his color was off. His posture showed the battle going on inside his body. Sitting on the window sill he slowly, slowly, won that battle and out the window he went.
That day my fellow classmate and friend would have done any other task in the world other than go out that window. That was not an option for him. He had to do it.
Courage is the ability to confront fear, pain, risk, danger, uncertainty or intimidation. Each time a person faces those obstacles and overcomes them, their fortitude increases. My friend, a man of stature, a paramedic, and firefighter to the core, faced his biggest fear and beat it with a stick.
Good for him and all those who follow him... onto accident scenes and into burning buildings.
He has proven to me, through his display of courage that day, of what a gallant leader he makes, and this is one recruit that would follow him, only hoping for some of that intrepidity to rub off on me.
Not being a big fan of heights in my latter years, I was not very enthused about climbing out a 5th story window teathered to a piece of rope. When asked if there was anyone in the group who was not thrilled about the whole rappelling idea, I quickly rose to the occasion and moved to the crowd of beginners and cowards.
I hid behind my camera taking shots of my fellow classmates as they, one by one, awkwardly climbed out the window and scaled down the side of the tower. As the group of next -in- liners got smaller, the anxiety and impending fall to our death became evident on all our faces. Fear had overcome and our expressions showed that fear.
I did not want to be the last one to go out, so I volunteered fourth from last. It was hard for me to make that move over the ledge, and not wanting to display to those below my angst, I quickly moved to the outside. Not 5 seconds after my weight was on the rope I felt a rush of confidence. my fear was gone and I zipped down the wall like a pro. (except for that harness... permanent damage to the twig and berries.)
As the last contestant of the day moved toward the window, his eyes looked glazed and his color was off. His posture showed the battle going on inside his body. Sitting on the window sill he slowly, slowly, won that battle and out the window he went.
That day my fellow classmate and friend would have done any other task in the world other than go out that window. That was not an option for him. He had to do it.
Good for him and all those who follow him... onto accident scenes and into burning buildings.
He has proven to me, through his display of courage that day, of what a gallant leader he makes, and this is one recruit that would follow him, only hoping for some of that intrepidity to rub off on me.
6 comments:
You make us proud!
If only the mope could go over 23 mph...I'd be there w. you.
p.s. Next time you rappel, try going Australian. Put the rack on your back and then you an run strait down the wall. It's a hoot!
With all due respect Captain, I know not of whom you are referring to as "candy ass". Either you are joking or someone has published a comment in your name. You do not know me or my friend at all. Fact is we would both risk our lives to save another, scaling down a building or not. Any life... even yours, brother. enough said.
Chris McReynolds wrote;
i really enjoyed your story about courage about your fellow firefighter. i saw the anxiety first hand one day at the academy during some ladder drills. your assessment on courage, i believe truly is dead on. the ability to look fear in the face and still be able to function. there are tons of examples of courage everyday in our lives, every now and again a friend will see that courage displayed, and that little comment or pat on the back will be the reason that the next time that fear is faced.... courage will win again!
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