ILLUSIONS

As a Police Officer, I was trained to always to be looking at what was going on around me and on what I was doing. I was also told that one day I would graduate from the school of Hard Knocks that day has come and gone, after many years of working the thin Blue Line I am still waiting to graduate.

I have learned many things one of them was Ships don't sink because of water around them but they sink because of the water that gets into the ships. It took me a long time to let what 's happening around me get inside me and it would weight me down. Life is full of disappointments failures and setbacks. None of these can permanently stop us from doing the job that many would not consider doing. No person, situation or circumstance can define who we are.

One of the first things I learned, of course, was the word FRIENDS( fight for you, respect you, include you, encourage you, need you, deserve you and stand by you. this combined with a goal set of character, courage, and commitment almost got me my degree from TSOHK.

My wife and daughter and I did not have a new car, we for sure did not have lots of money, and I still do not have lots of money. But what I did have, and now have is a strong family of other officers and fond memories that will last forever in my mind and my families minds. (Rockey Balboa) "Every champion was once a contender that refused to give up."

An Old Time sergeant (Jim) told me " Work for a cause not for applause. Live life to express, not to impress. don't strive to make your presence noticed, just make your absence Felt."

We are free to choose, but we are not free from the consequences of our choice. Lastly, I leave you with a statement that comes to mind for all of us that have had the good fortune to retire with our (GOD'S) Creators good graces in mind. They broke the wrong parts of me.They broke my wings and they forgot that I had claws.

#5376 RPPD