Today, I’m grateful
Swirling around in my head over the last few weeks have been striking reminders of why I am so grateful.
That may seem strange, considering my beloved husband has been home and in pain after being injured on duty. This in the midst of me finishing a licensing, our middle starting Pre-K and our littlest deciding she wants to be on full blown toddler status, you Mommas know what I mean.
Scrambling through my day today, a squad car pulled up in front of my house. Not for the same reason as another family here in the Midwest but rather just for my guy to hitch a ride to court since he can’t drive. Lord, today I’m grateful.
See, he’s had had to deal with a crummy city doc that had no problem sharing his opinion of police. He had to wait weeks for surgery and now sit for more weeks until he can start physical therapy. Weeks. Do something for me, imagine your husband home for just a week. His arm in a sling, the recliner relocated to the foot of your bed, he can’t put his own socks on and there are three little kids running around. Know how he’d feel? Yeah, I’m there.
He is stir crazy. But me, well, this wife is just glad he made it home.
Now, this young kid he was chasing probably wouldn’t have hurt him but he had no problem running from him. He had no regard for all of those who pursued him and any injury that would bring on them, or anyone else for that matter. The reckless behavior of one is causing my family weeks of our world turned upside down. However, for us, it is only weeks, and today I’m grateful.
I scrolled through the news earlier, only to find an officer was gunned down early this morning. A call for help during a domestic led to these men racing through the morning light to get to someone in need, only to be fired upon as soon as they got there. Now a young son, wife and family, their world will forever be upside down.
Police Officer Blake Snyder, 33
As I saw his ODMP page, you can’t help but wonder how surreal that must be to see someone you love dearly with their name printed under their photo. You just had dinner with them before they left last night. They tucked your little one in to bed after letting them play with some gadget on their belt for the 100th time. Your little one climbed with their little feet up the hard surface of their vest to give them one last hug. I have seen this in my home more times than I can count. This is all something we prepare for but pray will never happen again, to any officer. As you walk through these places in your mind, you get an overwhelming sense of gratitude that it isn’t your beloved spouse. And all at once, a deep pain in your heart for the family that is left behind.
St. Louis County Police Headquarters. Photo by David Carson, dcarson@post-dispatch.com
I’m grateful that my husband and dear dad to three little ones has always made it home. This injury has given me a whole new perspective for those injured and medically retired and how important it is that no one forgets them. The struggle, for some daily, to press on when the reckless actions of one forever changed their world, must not be forgotten. May we all embrace the season of this life that we are in. Whether he’s counting days to pension or you’ve got a new recruit that still shines their boots, may we all be grateful to have them home today.
-Autumn