It’s almost midnight and time to ring in a new year…a year that will be filled with new adventures for all of us. A wedding, new jobs, more kids in college and our last one will be a senior in High School. All of those things will be filled with happiness and undoubtedly new challenges. Yet all are something I’m looking forward to with excitement.
As I think of this last year, there have been a lot of highlights (especially the engagement). But nothing can compare to the range of emotions I’ve felt over this last week. The senseless tragedy on Christmas Eve morning in Webster has never been far from my mind since the moment I woke at 6am that day. There has been a lot of confusion over why something like this could ever happen, as well as a lot of tears. They have come in spurts and have been both sad and happy and proud tears. It’s unbelievable how many lives have been effected by this terrible event, yet so inspiring how people have handled it. Witnessing the amount of firefighters, police, first responders, etc that have come to our town to show respect and help us mourn, means more to our town then can be put into words. The generosity of folks from not only here, but all over the nation has been incredible. The amount of people that came to our town and are posting how our town welcomed them and took care of them makes me so proud to have lived in this community for most of my life. The Facebook page that was put up to coordinate peoples needs and opportunities to help, and also for others to share all of their stories of support and gratitude for the hospitality, was incredible. But most of all, being able to be a part of the amazing outreach for all those that keep us safe on a daily basis, has been humbling.
I didn’t attend the funerals in person as there were many more people that deserved to be sitting in those seats. However, I did watch both of them and they were heart wrenching, yet so beautiful at the same time. There are so many remarkable people in our town, our city and our nation. If there is good to come out of all of the suffering through this tragic event, it is that the outpouring of support, the generosity of strangers, and the acts of kindness can help to restore our faith in the good in our world. I hope that all the goodwill shown and acts of kindness continue. Let all the good we can do shine and maybe it can do something, in some small way, to help stamp out the bad.
To my best of friends that live this life of service every day in your families (you know who you are), know always that I’ll be there for you for anything you need. I have listened in the past to you say how hard it is when your families leave when those whistles and sirens blow. I have understood the best that I could to this point without living it myself. This week brought it all home in the worst of ways. I love you and support you and your families with all my heart. I’m sorry you went through this in the most intimate way this week… ways the rest of us can only say we understand. You are heroes to me, as much as your loved ones that leave for those calls , and I have the utmost respect for you as I do for them.
So here’s to the start of a new year… new memories… while never forgetting the events that shape us. Love to all… Happy New Year!
1 comment:
Thank you, Kim for putting that so sweetly. After talking to so many out of town firefighters, Webster did us proud. We are blessed to make many new friends.
Thank you, Kim, for your concern, support, words of encouragement, and most importantly your love.
I love you,
michele
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