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Your Emotional Relationships With Fire Itself
Hello ...
I genuinely would like to hear some of you tell me about your emotional relationships (not with people) with fire itself. Will you share?
Rarely do I tell people this (... and now I've gone overboard and posted it on the internet) but I have an extraordinary respect and awe of fire itself. I used to wonder if my feelings about fire were somehow sick. I don't understand where these feelings come from. I am just attracted to it. Whether it is in a fireplace, or a warehouse. I feel drawn to the complexity of it. I have never, in my life, heard anyone else confess this out loud. Certainly, this must apply to at least some of you?
I don't think that 100% of you are drawn to firefighting "solely" because it's a job and it helps others. (I suspect it is often like a kind of calling from the soul.)
As a child, I figured I'd grow up to be either a firefighter or an arsonist. I just wanted to be around it. I was an underachiever in these two respects --- and did neither. I lacked the physical strength (I tried) to become a firefighter, and the destructive & criminal streak (thank goodness) to become an arsonist.
However, I feel that I've always had a relationship with fire somehow. Is it only me? (Of course, it just would have been wrong if I had been born as anything other than a fire sign!)
The duality of fire (it's simultaneous beauty and yet its tenacity to destroy) affects who I am, and how I look at life. It's quite the metaphor. I suspect that none of you could do your job without a tremendous level of "respect" for fire. So that's what I'm curious about. Do you have any other feelings about fire, or for it, that you will share?
It goes without saying that you see lots of injury, loss of life, property destruction, and ruined lives and natural habitats in what you do. Never (never) would I diminish the true devastation of that. But I wish to know what you "feel emotionally about fire" beyond being a hero doing a job, which is what each of you clearly are.
Is there anyone out there who will admit that they love fire and its power, without feeling it is blasphemy to your profession?
Let me know.
I genuinely would like to hear some of you tell me about your emotional relationships (not with people) with fire itself. Will you share?
Rarely do I tell people this (... and now I've gone overboard and posted it on the internet) but I have an extraordinary respect and awe of fire itself. I used to wonder if my feelings about fire were somehow sick. I don't understand where these feelings come from. I am just attracted to it. Whether it is in a fireplace, or a warehouse. I feel drawn to the complexity of it. I have never, in my life, heard anyone else confess this out loud. Certainly, this must apply to at least some of you?
I don't think that 100% of you are drawn to firefighting "solely" because it's a job and it helps others. (I suspect it is often like a kind of calling from the soul.)
As a child, I figured I'd grow up to be either a firefighter or an arsonist. I just wanted to be around it. I was an underachiever in these two respects --- and did neither. I lacked the physical strength (I tried) to become a firefighter, and the destructive & criminal streak (thank goodness) to become an arsonist.
However, I feel that I've always had a relationship with fire somehow. Is it only me? (Of course, it just would have been wrong if I had been born as anything other than a fire sign!)
The duality of fire (it's simultaneous beauty and yet its tenacity to destroy) affects who I am, and how I look at life. It's quite the metaphor. I suspect that none of you could do your job without a tremendous level of "respect" for fire. So that's what I'm curious about. Do you have any other feelings about fire, or for it, that you will share?
It goes without saying that you see lots of injury, loss of life, property destruction, and ruined lives and natural habitats in what you do. Never (never) would I diminish the true devastation of that. But I wish to know what you "feel emotionally about fire" beyond being a hero doing a job, which is what each of you clearly are.
Is there anyone out there who will admit that they love fire and its power, without feeling it is blasphemy to your profession?
Let me know.
Replies are closed for this discussion.
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Sherri on
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Hi FireSiren
This is getting funny. Now you have to dissect my vocabulary?
I have no "need" to see (or hear from) like-minded folks. It's all good to me, regardless of what perspectives are brought to the table. I'm learning a lot. (But it doesn't take a genius to figure out that many people are attracted to the sight of a fire. When's the last time you went to put one out --- and there were no spectators?)
By the way, I talk how I talk. You flatter yourself if you think I'm running to a Thesaurus to find new words to impress you. I couldn't care less about whether your job requires a college education, or not. I only care that you do it well. If you choose to feel inferior to the words I commonly speak with, then don't read my replies. It's how I talk. Daily. Get over it.
And since you are calculating how many hours I'm allegedly on the site, why not do the math on how many times I've said "he/she" in my responses. It was the very first time, and the only time, that I neglected to check out gender before I started typing. What's worse, that I overlooked it that once --- or that you are so desperate to find fault that you found it that once???? Hmmm.
It's mind-boddling to me how misunderstood I am here. (None of it means a damn thing when the computer gets clicked off.) But do you really think I'm on a mission trying to get someone to "admit they love fire and its power" ??? It was just a question. Agree, disagree, be indifferent ... or as you all do, parrot each other's replies. I just wanted participation, and to really know if anyone in your line of work felt that mixed-emotion. This is not a contest of persuasion for me. What would I gain from that?
By the way --- you make a really good point when you say that it's a career faux pas to say something like that (even if it's true) and the result could mean various hassles on the job. I never thought of that. It helps me to understand why more people aren't representing the other side of the discussion. So, thanks for that.
Newsflash: All of you have "a relationship" with fire. I hear many of you insist that it's purely adversarial. I believe you. Others admit that it's a love/hate. I figure that's closer to the truth for most. For the remainder, like you, who boast no relationship at all ... your denial is enormous.
Some of the stuff you described was very palpable. I could feel it just reading it. Thank you for sharing that. (And your joke was funny.)
Take care~
Sherri -
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Permalink Reply by Art "ChiefReason" Goodrich on
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You realize that, if this were "Survivor", you'd be voted off of the island?
Here's one for you. Hope it gives you a relationship: - Attachments:
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img300.jpg, 237 KB
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XCHIEF22:
Got your attachment. Very "ugly" fire indeed. And hard to look at because it's a home. Thanks for all the layers of misunderstanding you bring to the equation.
And I don't watch the show Survivor --- but I understand the concept, and your statement made me laugh (even if it wasn't supposed to.)
Hey, life is not a popularity contest. When it is, you're living it wrong.
(So, it's fine with me to be voted off the island.) -
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It wouldn't be hard to be smarter than you look.
But you are still wrong about me. -
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Tony.r ~
Thank you for your objectivity, and merely realizing the value of discussion...
I'm sorry for your enormous loss.
~Sherri -
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And it's ironic, but arsonists also crave attention.
You've had your's and I'm not giving you anymore.
I could also say that you could learn something from reading my blogs, but then, I'd be wrong.
Toodles and tah-tah.
Don't look back. -
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Hi FireSiren:
I must be getting tired, because I didn't follow all of that this time.
I knew you were "making my case" about the fire photos. And I wasn't talking about you when I made the parroting comment. And, sure, I'm misunderstood here --- but it's not about me (and that's why it doesn't matter in the long run).
I don't see what I've revised in my statements. I've elaborated on them a great deal.
I haven't been rude, no apology there. (And it's just as well, since no one has acknowledged a single apology I've made along the way anyhow.)
I don't think it's a waste of time discussing anything were opinions differ. If you do, withdraw your participation. I've learned a great deal from it ... and maybe someone on your end has, as well.
Bye~
Sherri -
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Permalink Reply by turk182 on
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You asked for peoples opinions and when they gave them to you, you did start talking down to them as siren has said. And fire fighters do not have to have a relationship with fire as you have been trying to say in your post.
They thing you do not understand that fire fighters do not just fight fires anymore we rescue cats, cut up down trees, pump out flooded basements and direct traffic at accidents when needed. So when we tell you we are in it to help people and not because we have any type of relationship with fire thats what we mean, because now days we are helping people and animals more often than fighting fires.
So I am sorry if you are not getting the answers from us that you want because alot of us are in it to help people and have no love of fire at all and our only goal is to put it out so we and the people we are helping can go home safe as soon as we possibly can. -
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Firefighter Spence:
Yep --- I see the relationships. And I got many perspectives, as you pointed out. All-in-all, it's great that you guys don't think like an average person (since you don't have the average job.)
Clearly, I don't think like the average person either, but evidentally that's not allowed.
I don't feel that I have talked down to anyone here (who hasn't first talked down to me) so
let's call it a day.
This has been enlightening. Not in it for the silly bickering. I truly have learned a lot, and I thank you all (regardless of whether we have the same consensus.) If we had all agreed, that would have diminished the discussion. Discussion closed.
Wishing all of you safety.
~ Sherri -
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