Respond

The first responder to a fire or wreck must
readily assess the needs, professionally distant,
clinically adept, without emotions to distract. Not yet,
at least. The crisis past, then those who saved the lives
and saved the day can sit and muse and often (I would think)
begin to weep. Relationships are different, and the same.
Responses are not always what one wants or needs, the little
distances and roadblocks we too often use without awareness,
body language and the like, a certain tone of voice that keeps
relief just out of reach.The best responders here, however,
jump into the fire, embrace the moment, do not waste a second
playing games. Like rain upon a dew-parched leaf, they drink
the actions in, responding naturally, without a thought,
former brittleness not thinking as it moves in supple newness
to give shade to someone else who's been too often in the sun.



(c) Ellen Gillette, 2014