Knocking on heaven's door . . .

Recently I was appointed to the SO's honor guard and it left me with some thoughts. I once saw an emblem for an honor guard that said "the last to let you down." How true. I hope that I can always be the officer that I wanted to be before I saw everything through the eyes of a tired cynic. I hope I can always be the officer that my brothers and sisters rely on and come to in their time of need. And although I hope it never happens; if I have to be there in their final moments, I hope they understand that no one goes alone.
I have several memorial bracelets that I wear to remind me that there are those who gave their lives in the pursuit of that which they believed in. The police academy starts this week, hopefully at the end I will be assigned somewhere not named the jail. Corrections has been a learning experience, but I need bigger pastures to roam.
When I am tired and I want to give up I always think of several people. Some of them have given the ultimate sacrifice in the performance of their duties. They are firefighters and police officers who now watch over us from above. Some of them I worked with, some of them I never knew personally. The rest are my brothers and sisters still with me in my duties. These are the men and women who have carried me, when I have been to weak to stand, saved my life and walked beside me throughout my career. Several COs at work have asked me why I want to give up seven months of my life to go to the academy when I could become a jail sgt. or lt. The answer to me is simple; so many gave so much, surely I too can give something.