Duty calls

I've never been drawn to public service. Perhaps I'm too selfish or too squirmy or just too bullheaded to pursue something like that. So I have an extra appreciation for people who do these things.

About a year ago, Janice's boyfriend, Nick--and one of our good friends, too--decided that he wanted to make a difference in a job that involved a lot of activity. He felt a call to become a firefighter. In order to achieve this goal, he went through months of exams and was accepted into one of the most difficult academies in Virginia last summer. (This is no small feat--several thousand people take these tests and only a few hundred are accepted.)

Over the last six months, he has gone through rigorous training, learning everything from water rescues to how to respond to terrorist attacks to, of course, the best ways to fight certain fires. In training, they ran through burning buildings, were tear-gassed (which would have done me in), and did a lot of push-ups to achieve peak physical condition. Additionally, Nick has spent the last week learning everything there is to know about installing car seats, a skill set that those of us who live less exciting lives may be able to capitalize upon someday.

You can read all about this journey on his blog.

This six-month sacrifice meant waking up at 4 a.m. and getting home at 7 p.m. five nights a week. (I lament my schedule!) And it meant studying on the weekends and cutting back on social activities (ie: football) that might provoke injuries incurred during grueling daily workouts (think: running seven flights of stairs a dozen times in a row).

But it's all been worth it. Today, Nick will graduate as one of the top in his class. He is officially a firefighter, protecting all of us.

Congratulations, Nick! We all all so proud of you. And, thank you. You are far more selfless than I ever will be.