And There You Were
So tiny and fragile, my large calloused
hands held you so close.
Afraid that I would hurt you, but wanting to hold you in
my arms forever.
And as I carried you so easily round playground and park,
I gained great strength.
A strength that would enable me to pull cotton and brass
up countless stairwells,
to pull lath and plaster,
and to carry the innocent to safety through the darkest
of nights.
My precious little girl, I needed a great strength, I
looked around
and there you were.
How many times my son did we play catch and
bat balls?
I wanted to teach you all that I knew…of life
and what it meant to be a man, what it meant to be a
Fireman.
Yet through my mentoring and teaching, it was you who
taught me.
You inspired me to reach out to my Brothers
to guide and instruct them, to bring out their very best,
so that none would fail, so that none would fall.
I set out to teach, but had so much to learn…
and there you were.
And my Dearest sweet wife.
I wanted to be your Knight in shining armor,
Instead , I found myself stained with soot and ash.
I wanted you to feel safe with me and to never fear,
but it was you who protected me.
You showed me such incredible love, that during battle
you gave brilliance to my darkened armor.
I wanted to keep you … yet it was you I felt with me
in so many darkened halls.
When I felt most afraid, I looked around,
and there you were.
My wonderful family,
do you know what you have done?
Do you realize that all that I am, I owe to you.
Do you realize that within you, through you, that I will
live forever?
You gave me the strength to save so many timid souls…
You gave me the wisdom to teach a nation of Fireman...
You gave me the heart to press on, to never cower,
even when the shadow of death surrounded my Brothers and
I.
They call me a hero, but when I needed a hero of my own…
there you were.
By Capt. Mike Veseling, Naperville (Ill.)
FD
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