Slow is Fast.
Everyone wants everything done as quickly as possible. It's human nature. Be healed now. Be ready now.
But if you let events spin you - if you become a creature of reaction - things end up taking more time and resource. Instead, go slowly be methodical, and pay attention. Rushing doesn't get you where you're going faster, it only trips you up and tangles you in your boots.
Have faith. You'll get your gear on. You'll arrive on scene. You'll overcome whatever you need to, and you'll do it fast. If you allow yourself to go slow.
Some Things Need to be Tied Down. Some Don't.
Before the engine speeds away, some gear needs to be harnessed with every knot and buckle imaginable. Other items can just be wedged in between and counted on to stick around.
In life, it works the same. Some things require conscious effort. Focus on those things rather than worrying about the things you'll carry with you no matter what your speed or mission.
Train, Prepare- then Improvise.
In my time at the firehouse, I only went on five calls and none bore the slightest resemblance to the next. The best we can hope for is that our training and preparation allow us the stretch of mindset needed to see us through our improvisation, so we can adapt and overcome.
Write the Most Honest Narrative. Then, Share It.
The narratives we tell - the stories we keep alive - set the groundwork for future training and preparation.
Even if you don't have the chance to benefit from it, someone might.
Tell your truth, and then let it free.
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It's Year 4 of Rarasaur Blog, so I'm going to share 4 Lessons I've learned from a variety of places and people and experiences, and how I apply them to life. These are some of my favorite takeaways from working as an inmate firefighter.
Firehouse 531 is made up of great guys who worked through a variety of situations, and you can send them cards and letters whenever you're so inclined. They take care of us in there, despite the bureaucratic hoops they have to jump through to do so.
California Institute for Women
Attn: Firehouse 531
16756 Chino-Corona Road
Corona, CA 92880
Do you collect life lessons, too?
