No Whirlwinds...

In the middle of a very exhausting morning yesterday, dealing with the fall out of another student death,  a woman that I work with asked me if I ever feel like I'm caught in a whirlwind.  I didn't hesitate, and said, "no."  Almost as soon as I said I was surprised at how quickly and confidently I said it.  Then, in a somewhat impromptu moment I began to explain myself...

"Whatever I have to be here pales in comparison to what I feel like I have to be at home, so...no, I don't feel like I'm ever in a whirlwind here."

The answer seemed to satisfy her quite nicely, and I changed the subject back to our preparedness for the fallout of yet another tragedy.  It wasn't until after that I thought about what I'd said.  Some people ask me how I do this job and I always struggle to say something that they'll believe, because my own personal sentiments often fail, or aren't complex enough, perhaps.  Today what I said without thinking satisfied everyone's curiosity times ten, even my own.  There are girls sleeping at home who see their father a certain way, and that's the same way I want anyone to see me.  There's no sense in complicating things.  I want to be what they need me to be.  No whirlwinds, just perspective.