It's a feeling deep in your abdomen. When something happens and your not just in danger, but staring at it face to face. The face on the other side was a well-built man three years younger then me high on PCP and swinging wildy at anything he can hit. Luckly he hits no one, in fact the police get him, taze him and 10mg of valium later we win the fight like we usually do.
A man not more then two years found dead by a neighbor, suicide the cause. All these things images that will hide themselves deep in my mind, only to reappear when you least want them to. I don't know if I can call what we do a "calling" but to me its more a journey then a job. Because we never know what each day will bring, and as we learned ten years ago at any moment our lives can come crashing down around us.
I think it is a noble calling and I admire your ability to weather each storm and come back stronger. It takes an amazing balance of compassion and detachment to do what you do.
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