The joy of festive gatherings is meeting interesting people. I recently met a first responder – a fireman. We spent time comparing workplace experiences and were intrigued by a particular professional element we had in common – the bell.
…the bell is a symbol of something sacred.
Teachers get out of bed each workday confident in the familiarity the school bell brings. The start of learning and teaching, the 30-minute morning tea break, the 1-hour lunchtime, and the end of the school day are all signalled by the bell. Teaching professionals provide a service, safe in the knowledge that assessment, teaching, behaviour management, meetings, regular breaks and peer collaboration are all part of a safe and familiar routine.
My fireman friend and his colleagues, however, wake each morning, never knowing what lies ahead. More importantly, they can never know whether they’ll return safe, or injured, or make it home at all. Attending fires, gas leaks and car accidents, calming the dying and being front and centre in life’s catastrophes are the pieces that potentially make up their daily routine. For them, the bell brings a different type of familiarity – providing a service that could cost them their lives.
For them, the bell brings a different type of familiarity – providing a service that could cost them their lives.
The joy of festive gatherings is more than meeting interesting people. It’s a reminder that the bell is a symbol of something sacred. How blessed we are to have extraordinary people willing to risk their lives so that we too can be of service.
Copyright © 2017 Cheryl Lacey All rights reserved.
Parent, educationist and advocate of agitating change in Australian education. By raising the bar we can face any global challenges facing Australia and Australians.
Contact Cheryl on cheryl@cheryllacey.com
