A number of years ago, as a volunteer Firefighter and Emergency Medical Technician, I learned so much about life, and I couldn’t think of anything I would have rather done with my time.
One day on the nozzle at a house fire, the wind suddenly shifted on me. I was completely consumed in smoke and steam, with no breathing apparatus. I was completely blinded and could barely breath. Panic wanted to set in, but I knew better. I dropped to my hands and knees, and lowered my head. What I found was an area about 12 inches off the ground where I could breath. The air was clear, and I was surprised to see two feet near me in boots wandering in circles, back and forth, obviously out of panic. It was completely slient. This firefighter, who was new to the department, had been on his way to work with me when he got caught in the smoke himself.
I quickly suggested that he get on the ground. The feet stopped moving. Knees dropped through the smoke, followed by hands and a very unhappy face that quickly turned to relief. Yes, it was lovely down there, and once we caught our breath, we began following the hose out to safety.
Later, I looked back on that day and realized that there was a lesson to be learned. Yes, air packs are nice even when you are outside the house, but there was also a life lesson.
Often we find ourselves standing in the smoke, wandering about with no direction, in a state of panic, and apparently with a death wish, as one can only breath so much smoke. Sometimes you have to stop, get on your hands and knees and crawl. It’s not only the way to survive, but you’ll find that you can breath, and comfortably navigate the chaos above you. I had the advantage in this situation. I not only knew where someone was lost, but I knew where the exit was, and all I had to do was change my perspective.
So the next time you find yourself thinking that there’s no way out of a life challenge, don’t always look for the quick solution that you are accustomed to…in this case, just walking to safety. Sometimes the solution is obtained by simply stopping, getting on your knees, taking a breather in the clear air, then crawling through the smoke.
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