Martin:

I know how you feel. I left the fire service for many reasons...and none for the reasons that you had to experience and left because of.

It was the most difficult decision I ever made and haunted me every time the trucks rolled from the hall ( we lived 1/2 block away).

Over years, I have had my share of romances and got over all them. However almost 12 years later, I still have never really gotten over leaving the fire service and even though I am hundreds of miles away, I think about it still every day when the trucks roll from a different fire dept which is only 2 blocks away from our present home.

In our living room, I have a photo of a fireman holding a 3-4 year old little girl who was saved from a fire. I wrote a caption for it (partly from a Dan Rather quote) that says:

We are older now, and irrevocably changed, however we can look back with no second thoughts and a measure of quiet pride and say "We cared, we tried, and we gave it everything we had...because we knew it mattered."

I look at and read this every day and that Martin, is all that matters.

PM me if you would like a copy.