POLICE ASSOCIATION OF NOVA SCOTIA 59 Recently, I found myself answering questions from new officers during a “Welcome to the Guild” orientation class and it dawned on me just how quickly time passes. To me it seems like just yesterday that I sat with members of Class #125 and asked some of the same questions. It is possible that it has been 22 years? Where does the time really go? This summer my oldest daughter got married and as I waited to walk her down the church aisle, my mind wandered to what seemed like just yesterday when I was coaching her 3rd grade basketball team. Again, where does the time go? This leads me to reflect on a recent article I read about the philosophy of the new chief of a local law enforcement agency. I do acknowledge that it was in a LOCAL NEWSPAPER so the possibility exists that the facts are not accurate, but the article described his attitude as “only slackers go home before putting in 10-12 hours.” The article did not mention if that was compensated overtime, but it left the reader with the impression that top administrators were expected to put in the extra hours for the “good of the organization.” I sat there thinking of another saying: “How many people at the moment of their passing say... “Gee I wish I had spent more time at the office!” My estimation is not many, if any at all. And if that is true, then why is it that this attitude prevails in many departments and organizations? Could it be that people get caught up “in the job” and lose sight of what is really important?That their priorities become so convoluted that they can’t keep them in order. Regardless of your spiritual beliefs, do you really think that when this life is all over, the creator will really care if you attained stripes, bars or stars? Will it really matter that you made more overtime, wrote more tickets, designed more policies and attended more meetings than your peers? Do you really believe that “the one who dies with the most toys wins?” If you do, I personally think that is kind of sad, but we have all been given a free will and it is, of course, your choice. In the end, I believe that it will come down to some basic things...what did you do with the gifts given to you and how did you treat others along the way? I once had a logic instructor use logic principles to prove the existence of God. His steps took the better part of a week, but what was interesting (besides his courage to do it in a public college) was his conclusion that nothing with an intricate design is without a designer. Think about that the next time you see a newborn or look through a telescope into the night sky. We are not here by accident. Now before you think that the Chaplain edited this column, I’d like to come back to my main point and what I shared with some of the new officers. Do your job well when you are at work, but remember EVERYONE is replaceable and the job will be here long after we are all gone. Have outside interests and some friends who are not cops. Be a coach, a scout leader or a mentor to some kids who have no one and that will keep you grounded as to what is truly important. And with your family, remember always that there is only one first Dance Recital, only one first Prom date or tee-ball championship. Now given our shift work, we won’t be able to make all these events, but with a little planning you can make many of them. The look in the eyes of your son or daughter when they see you arrive is “what really matters” and that “the best thing you can spend on your kids is your time.” Those are the things that memories are made of and once they are gone, the memories are all that we have left. Many in our police family have recently suffered loss of a loved one or are facing a catastrophic illness. They know first hand how precious “the gift of time” truly is. None of us know how much time we have left. We should be conscious of that each time we leave our homes and report for duty. Some of the best supervisors are those who also share this philosophy as they manage their employees and make their decisions. If we try and use our time focusing on the truly important things, I believe we will be better able to withstand so much of the mundane details, which cloud our lives. Personally, I’ve learned also that the career path my wife has dedicated her life to, that of being a Mom and creating a home, is so much more valuable than anything I’ll ever accomplish. When it is all said and done, it is the important things that matter most. WHAT IS REALLY IMPORTANT? By Sergeant Rich O’Neill, Board Position #10
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