It’s a lucky thing that nostalgia is not recognized as an illness. I could have taken so many days off. Thankfully, there is no vaccination to prevent recalling past times and experiences that I have enjoyed. Family, friendships, travel, great food, colleagues and adventures from a lifetime in EMS produced symptoms that no medicine should be allowed to treat. Please don’t mistake the exuberance for innocence. There were some low spots along the journey.
Conversations this week with family, friends and neighbours from my childhood were refreshing on a visit to Lambeth. Catching up on the news was medicine for the soul. Standing in front of our old neighbour’s home, I was distracted by a mother and daughter next door standing on the same porch that I used to steady myself while learning to ride a bicycle sixty-plus years ago. We lived in that house. As the little girl sat in her pedal car, I reminded my sister and the family we were visiting that she was the same age as my sister when we lived there.
Driving away brought on more snapshots of growing up in the village. Chalk it up to age, but I am finding that the good times take a fraction of the energy to recount compared to the trying experiences. Although we continue to make new memories over the years, distant recollections jump to the front of the line. Yes, I have the worst case of nostalgia going. Add to the list that I like to share, and you are trapped. Forgive me.
Writing a book detailing a lifelong career is not for everyone. I owe the positive experience to the support of my daughter, who would listen to stories in response to discussions at the table during family dinners. I was unsure if there would be interest, but I commend her for her insight. The process of writing and the finished product closed several chapters in my life and, at the same time, opened some new avenues.
A few years back, I met a fellow involved in a youth group that is a part of scouting. Medvents is an extension of the Scouting Canada organization theme driven by youth attracted to the first response profession. Switching roles, he is now a leader. Somewhere along the way, he picked up a copy of Running Reds and asked me to speak to his troop.
I look forward to joining the Medvents meeting this coming week and speaking to young people with a common goal. Spending seven years in the cubs and scouts program as a youth, I continue to be impressed by the new branch mentoring their members towards a career in paramedicine and first response.
Involved in fleet operations and logistics within EMS for several years, I enjoyed supporting the crews and their vehicles behind the scenes. A part of the profession that is well hidden is the technology supporting patient care, and the ambulances paramedics rely on so heavily. Along the way, I crossed paths with an organization engineering the technology to control and improve ambulance operations. Today, I am excited to be in the early stages of doing some content writing for their social media and marketing folks.
The blogs here at runningreds.ca and the book have brought some genuine interest. Receiving notes and letters from readers commenting on both mediums has fueled my interest in continuing to write. I am still encouraged by the positive feedback and the continuous requests to meet readers and sign books. Who knew. A wise friend told me to push back and stop watching the sales analytics on Amazon. He was right. It is not about the numbers. If you have a topic you would like to hear more about or are interested in reading stories that did not make it into the book, reach out through info@runningreds.ca.
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