End Of Watch....
Every day for the last 18 years I have said "have a great day" and watched my husband walk out the door. For all of those years, he has been some type of Federal Law Enforcement Officer. He has defended our borders and our nation from international crimes. He is not a first line of defense generally. But he wears a gun and defends our country. Every day he puts the safety of the masses in front of his own. I know in the face of danger he will defend the innocent and protect those in need.
There were a few years when I really could have cared less if he came home at all and we were in the darkest part of our marriage. Even then, I wanted him to return at the end of each shift whole. I prayed for that. When things were the bleakest, I knew he went and did a hard job that often goes unrecognized.
The last few days in Omaha have impacted many. An officer was killed in the line of duty. She was a vibrant young woman. She was an officer, a mom, a community leader. She had a brand new baby who was still in the hospital. She had a full life ahead of her. Plans and hopes for a future with her family and for herself. Her life and work touched many. The outpouring of support and admiration has been amazing.
Hundreds of people from all over the nation showed up. Officers from every branch of the state and local. Federal officers. Officers from New Jersey and California and points in between. Those in uniform and those in plain clothes. They show up every time an officers life is taken in the line of duty. They show up. They show up not just for the vibrant officer who did so much but they show up for the quiet ones who just protect the rest of us. They show up in life and in death.
Quietly yesterday morning Doug put on a blue shirt. I knew he would be going. His whole office went. Not just to the route, but to the funeral. He worked with this officer on several occasions and she was one of his own. I debated going myself. There are just some things it is really hard to explain to Espen and death is one of them. He has not grasped the seriousness and finality of it. The procession was not a parade but a quiet public demonstration of support. I wanted to give my support because there is always a chance one day I may rely on that same support for my strength.
There are other ways I can pay my respect and offer support to this woman I can only admire in passing. I can say a prayer for her family and the daughter she leaves behind. I can live my life giving what I can to ensure those with less are lifted up. I can lead by example. I can donate my time, energy and money to causes worthy of them. In all these ways I can give respect to those defending my freedoms and safety.
Maybe this family did not want this kind of support from the community. I would imagine they are overwhelmed by it all. They would rather have her quietly living beside and with them then this massive outpouring of community care. Perhaps they can draw strength from the hundreds of people that believe Officer Orozco was important and her life will be remembered.
There is always a chance things will go terribly wrong for any officer. My husband is no different. The biggest difference ~ the one I sneak in at the end that is important and I want everyone to think about ~ is that there are HUNDREDS of agents and officers who don't wear the blue, who are not in the public spot light, who risk life to protect us. These officers and agents are quietly doing the work your family may never know about and yet they risk it all sometimes. Agents like my husband will never be in the spotlight. People will rarely know they exist. Yet the job they do is no less dangerous or important.
As you are saying prayers for support and strength, add one for all the agents and officers doing the jobs quietly. The ones in plain clothes protecting the freedoms of our nation. The ones who pride themselves in never making the news, just getting the job done. As the nation recognizes another officer lost senselessly in the line of duty, remember all of the ones who have gone before her and those that are still fighting to protect our nation in any capacity.
I wonder what kind of support would our family have if the worst happened. I would only hope for a
single prayer for strength for this man who quietly has given 18 years to serve our nation.
There were a few years when I really could have cared less if he came home at all and we were in the darkest part of our marriage. Even then, I wanted him to return at the end of each shift whole. I prayed for that. When things were the bleakest, I knew he went and did a hard job that often goes unrecognized.
Hundreds of people from all over the nation showed up. Officers from every branch of the state and local. Federal officers. Officers from New Jersey and California and points in between. Those in uniform and those in plain clothes. They show up every time an officers life is taken in the line of duty. They show up. They show up not just for the vibrant officer who did so much but they show up for the quiet ones who just protect the rest of us. They show up in life and in death.
Quietly yesterday morning Doug put on a blue shirt. I knew he would be going. His whole office went. Not just to the route, but to the funeral. He worked with this officer on several occasions and she was one of his own. I debated going myself. There are just some things it is really hard to explain to Espen and death is one of them. He has not grasped the seriousness and finality of it. The procession was not a parade but a quiet public demonstration of support. I wanted to give my support because there is always a chance one day I may rely on that same support for my strength.
There are other ways I can pay my respect and offer support to this woman I can only admire in passing. I can say a prayer for her family and the daughter she leaves behind. I can live my life giving what I can to ensure those with less are lifted up. I can lead by example. I can donate my time, energy and money to causes worthy of them. In all these ways I can give respect to those defending my freedoms and safety.
Maybe this family did not want this kind of support from the community. I would imagine they are overwhelmed by it all. They would rather have her quietly living beside and with them then this massive outpouring of community care. Perhaps they can draw strength from the hundreds of people that believe Officer Orozco was important and her life will be remembered.
There is always a chance things will go terribly wrong for any officer. My husband is no different. The biggest difference ~ the one I sneak in at the end that is important and I want everyone to think about ~ is that there are HUNDREDS of agents and officers who don't wear the blue, who are not in the public spot light, who risk life to protect us. These officers and agents are quietly doing the work your family may never know about and yet they risk it all sometimes. Agents like my husband will never be in the spotlight. People will rarely know they exist. Yet the job they do is no less dangerous or important. As you are saying prayers for support and strength, add one for all the agents and officers doing the jobs quietly. The ones in plain clothes protecting the freedoms of our nation. The ones who pride themselves in never making the news, just getting the job done. As the nation recognizes another officer lost senselessly in the line of duty, remember all of the ones who have gone before her and those that are still fighting to protect our nation in any capacity.
I wonder what kind of support would our family have if the worst happened. I would only hope for a single prayer for strength for this man who quietly has given 18 years to serve our nation.
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