Have you ever seen a TV news story where someone is saved from some great calamity by a firefighter or policeman who put his or her life at great risk to save the poor sod -- only to have that person not thank the rescue worker, but rather thank God...?
- In contrast, I have heard a number of people exclaim, "Thank God you came." I wanted to puke every time I heard that. A god had nothing to do with my crew and me being there. A god was not helping us save them at the risk of our own lives. Our skill, training and luck is what saved them, not some mythical being. There were times when I heard the "thank god" phrase that I wanted to throw them back and see if a god really would answer their prayers. But I'm a humanist, and human beings are more valuable alive and growing than floundering in the sea. Nevertheless, some days, the temptation was great.
A heartfelt thanks goes out to anyone in a dangerous line of work, who puts himself or herself on the line for others.... Whether you hear it often or not, know that your hard work is appreciated by most of us.
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