Heart

Take a look at the picture to the right.

While blessed to instruct during our Rocket City F.O.O.L.S. First Quarter Training, I had the pleasure to meet this Brother.

Jay was born with spina bifida During the 8 hour training session, I was able to witness Jay complete tasks with a smile on his face while making no complaint or excuse.

Watching him inspired me and also led me to ponder some thoughts on “Heart”.

Let’s take a moment and discuss Heart and how it pertains to the fire service because I believe Jay defines every sense of the word.

The love for the job; the desire to better your craft; the never-ending quest to perfect yourself in the ever-changing world of the fire service.

Heart is the will to learn, the yearning to be a lifelong Student, eagerly gobbling up as much information as you can.

Beating powerfully inside of you- pumping away, fueled by the flow of knowledge collected and expelled through its ventricles.

Many in the fire service have allowed their heart to become clogged with the fatty substance that is congealed concoction of Laziness, Excuses, and Mocking.

Choosing to allow this toxic trifecta to consume your Heart can be contagious. Swallowing up stations and departments, it will slowly choke out the passion and desire.

Unfortunately, those consumed by the poisonous lard cannot be cured. They will continue to mock and make excuses, hoping to bring others down to their miserable depths.

Why?

Because it’s easier than the work required to stimulate the myocardium to keep their Heart pumping.

Brothers with a resilient Heart, a true passion for their job and craft, can prevent the suffocating obstruction.

They can drown out the naysayers with the rhythmic clicks of ladders rising upwards, the surging gush of water flowing, and the metallic clang of the irons striking together.

The constant push to greatness will not allow the Heart to stop; it will only make it stronger.