No Time To Be Tired

Boy, I’m tired! Aren’t you? It seems that life is just throwing everything at me at once. How about you? And then all of this political stuff thrown on top of it. UGH! Trump. Blah! Hillary. Blah! ISIS. Blah! Now even our Olympians are being questioned because they don’t act quite right during a medal ceremony. Really??? Yes, I’m TIRED!

But there’s a problem. We can’t afford to be tired right now. Why, you ask?

I just stood outside my office on Garrison Avenue in downtown Fort Smith for 45 straight minutes. I was watching the funeral procession for Corporal Bill Cooper, killed in the line of duty last week. There were law enforcement vehicles, fire department vehicles, EMS vehicles, forestry vehicles, motorcycles, undercover vehicles, and countless other government agencies from all over this country. The show of support was overwhelming.

All I could think about was all of these men and women that had taken the time and effort to come from everywhere to be here to honor this man. The vast majority of them didn’t even know him. But they are all bound together by the oath that they took and the service that they provide to their communities throughout our country. And that is why they were here.  One of their brothers had fallen.

I think they were here for another reason too.  We all watch the news.  We know what has been happening.  They do too.  And they know that they are under attack.  And I think they wanted all of us to know that they aren’t going anywhere. They will always be there doing their duty. Its going to take more than some coward with a gun and an agenda to change that.

They have always used the phrase “every day we put our lives on the line.”   The good side of the truth is that most days go pretty smoothly and without incident. But it only takes one day and one instant for all of that to change doesn’t it? And the brutal side of the truth is that there is no warning when that day and instant may happen. Corporal Cooper’s family knows that awful side of the truth all too well.

So no, I am going to choose to not be tired. I am going to choose to be thankful for my daily chores and duties and the stresses they bring. Chores and duties that pale in comparison to those of the men and women that were in that procession today.  We can't thank you enough for your service.

Because when you think about it, there is really no time to be tired.

“I am hurt but I am not slain. I’ll lay me down and bleed awhile, then I’ll rise and fight again.”

- Sir Andrew Barton P.S.

Dedicated to Corporal Bill Cooper and his family.  May he rest in peace.