It's no secret that I've been married since I was "but a wee lass." this alsoeams that I've been the wife of a Dallas Fireman for 25+ years. When we were first married, I would visit whatever station Larry was assigned to, and they would ask me if I was there to visit my dad. Someone, I think my mother-in-law, suggested that I join the Ladies Auxillary as a way to meet people - but I thought then that those ladies were OLD (oh how vain we are at 17, lol).
Today, I'm watching my two boys, Matt (16 about to be 17), and Streven (15), compete in the 10th Annual Fire Games hosted by Dallas Fire Rescue, as Dallas Fire Rescue Explorers. A month or so ago, they helped with the annual Easter Egg Hunt, hosed the the DFR Ladies Auxillary.
Something occurred to me today, while I was watching the boys and observing the parents and instructors around me. These are my kind of people. There are many different Explorer Posts represented today - approximately 200 kids between 14 and 21. Parents, firemen, wives and girlfriends, other siblings. There's even a CPAP course going on at the same time (future rookies training to be rookies with DFR). And not once have I thought someone was dressed inappropriately, or acting like a floozy, or even thought of anyone as just rude. I've talked to several different people, from all walks of life, and haven't felt that way once.
This is important to me. I've been told that I'm old and bitter, or jealous and bitchy. And I don't think that I am, but when I was told this, I took it to heart because of the circumstances in which it was said and by who said it, and it has caused me to question my entire character.
I'm not old and bitter, or jealous and bitchy - I'm "mature" and outspoken, and I have low tolerance for posers, as my kids would say. Web people try to be something they're not, I tend to get irritable about it. Be who you are - don't try to be something you're not. Say what you mean - because otherwise you're only playing games. This doesn't mean you have to be mean or rude - and I'm learning that by being outspoken about how I feel can and will lead to hurt feelings, because people aren't always ready to be as honest with themselves as I might be.
But when I around "people like me" - people that have the same ideals and who have grown up with others who felt the same - I'm normal. This is good for my spirit.
Today, I'm watching my two boys, Matt (16 about to be 17), and Streven (15), compete in the 10th Annual Fire Games hosted by Dallas Fire Rescue, as Dallas Fire Rescue Explorers. A month or so ago, they helped with the annual Easter Egg Hunt, hosed the the DFR Ladies Auxillary.
Something occurred to me today, while I was watching the boys and observing the parents and instructors around me. These are my kind of people. There are many different Explorer Posts represented today - approximately 200 kids between 14 and 21. Parents, firemen, wives and girlfriends, other siblings. There's even a CPAP course going on at the same time (future rookies training to be rookies with DFR). And not once have I thought someone was dressed inappropriately, or acting like a floozy, or even thought of anyone as just rude. I've talked to several different people, from all walks of life, and haven't felt that way once.
This is important to me. I've been told that I'm old and bitter, or jealous and bitchy. And I don't think that I am, but when I was told this, I took it to heart because of the circumstances in which it was said and by who said it, and it has caused me to question my entire character.
I'm not old and bitter, or jealous and bitchy - I'm "mature" and outspoken, and I have low tolerance for posers, as my kids would say. Web people try to be something they're not, I tend to get irritable about it. Be who you are - don't try to be something you're not. Say what you mean - because otherwise you're only playing games. This doesn't mean you have to be mean or rude - and I'm learning that by being outspoken about how I feel can and will lead to hurt feelings, because people aren't always ready to be as honest with themselves as I might be.
But when I around "people like me" - people that have the same ideals and who have grown up with others who felt the same - I'm normal. This is good for my spirit.
