Back in the Groove
Ha! What a beautiful and glorified picture of returning to work after an injury. Where was my standing ovation Peterson, Hadley, Raykowski, and Lackey???
Well after a solid week away from the unusual grind of a 24/48 work shift, it did feel good to get back to work and feels even better to have that “It’s a weekend!” feeling that I get every day I get off shift. With the back squarely on the mend thanks to Flip I made it through a shift where the worst news was out of our district as another poor skier fell victim to the vicious tree wells that inhabit our low elevation ski area. It is just a sad game of numbers that people will die in tree wells, just as it’s a game of numbers that eventually during my career I will likely be treating and transporting a dear friend or family member while on shift. My heart goes out to the family of the victim. It’s just numbing to think of a family traveling into town for the weekend, waking up and having a big breakfast while letting the anticipation build for a day of fun filling skiing. Then, in the snap of a second, someone is upside down in a tree well, suffocating, and likely panicking. Then, the family’s lives are changed forever.
It’s one of the crazy things about life as a human. Accidents happen. I see them every day at work, I even become calloused to them. I somehow find a way of distancing myself (and my family and friends) from what I see at work, and think like all others, “This won’t happen to me”. Accidents can be the result of something so miniscule; taking a right instead of left, sneaking in a quick “love you” text to the wife, etc. Or accidents can be largely avoidable by being as careful as our mothers always preached at us to be. But it’s just life. Accidents will happen. They’re always unexpected, and they always wreak havoc in our lives worse than Miley Cyrus’s wrecking ball video did! The only decision we have in an accident is how we choose to deal with it and accept it. I’ve been the recipient of many a fine accidents, and at that time, life didn’t seem like it could get much lower. But later on, we can look back at the incident, we can accept that fate was out of our hands, and we can try to remain positive and take what lessons we may to affect change in a way we can.
God Bless and comfort the hearts of the family and friends who lost their loved one yesterday and to all those who will today. In the mean time, don’t let this dark topic spoil a great day to live! I for one am going in search of a couple fine powder turns and the warming of a strong heart pumping blood through my body. I will do so with a thankful heart, for today I’ve been spared any tragedies thus far, and will attempt to remind myself that my time here is finite, my periods of bliss are finite, but there’s no sense in worrying about the future and accidents that are outside of our control.
That reminds me, I still have that Fire Engine Accident to share… next time.
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