Last week I shared some thoughts on Spiritual Wellness, and our need to establish and nurture our “Why”.
I can’t think of a more fitting topic as we conclude the month of May and its commemoration as Law Enforcement Appreciation Month. During this month we remember those who have fallen in service to their communities, while we celebrate those who have chosen this difficult and demanding calling. This month’s celebrations also provide examples to inspire those considering service to their community as their life’s purpose.
As I shared in last week’s article, the ability to live a life of purpose, rests heavily on our ability to recall on an almost daily basis, why we are doing what we are doing. This “Why” must be a constant element, sustaining itself through good times and in bad. It must remain the cornerstone, even as conditions and daily realities are ever changing.
Our “Why” can not be like the branches of a tree which sway back and forth dependent on the winds, but rather like the very roots that hold us steady, even when the headwinds of frustration and defeat push against us.
Over the past few years, we have seen such headwinds bear down on the servants of our communities. We have watched as those who have sworn a life of service are met with suspicion and cynicism. We have endured the increase in both call volume and the violent nature of that call volume. Through all of this, we endure. We endure because we know our “Why”. We know that we are what stands between Chaos and Peace. We know that we are the ones that will run towards the danger that everyone else is running from. We know that after a life of service those we love, our “Why” will be our legacy.
We have come a long way in how we care for those who serve us. We have come to realize and appreciate the impacts of cumulative trauma on our First Responders and the need for continued focus on Emotional, Social, Mental and Spiritual Wellness. We have incorporated Peer to Peer Support Teams, Crisis Debriefs, and Chaplaincy Support to better serve those that serve us.
We are also very fortunate to serve a community who appreciates the service and sacrifice of their Public Servants. This appreciation is as important of a wellness component as any of the others. Knowing that the community we serve appreciates our efforts and stands behind us during those storms, fortifies our “Why” and implants in us our own gratitude. The mutual respect and appreciation that a community has for its Protectors, and that same level of respect and appreciation the Protectors have for their community, is truly the cornerstone of a safe and thriving community. Let’s make sure to share that appreciation all year long!
