So I’m Not the Only One Who Feels That Way?

As I was scrolling through social media the other day, I came across a post that forced me to stop and think. It came from a friend of the Blue Magazine, Officer Deon Joseph (IG @officerdeonjoseph) - another staunch LEO supporter who understands the hurdles and struggles of the law enforcement officer.

In his post, he talks about how his vacation is nearly over and how hard it was thinking about going back to work. Then it hit me- “So I’m not the only one who feels that way?”

Even after my weekly regular days off (RDO’s) I start to have that gut-wrenching feeling once the thought of returning to work crosses my mind. And it’s not about hating the job or hating people I work alongside with. It’s more about knowing that we’re on our way to deal with the decay of society and the stress that goes with it.

When was the last time you went on a call to deal with good news or a humorous, light-hearted call?

“Dispatch to Officer Smith, report to 123 Main Street to deal with a litter of kittens that escaped the home and are running around the backyard.”

Could it happen? Sure.

But what we hear more often are calls for domestic disputes, public intoxication, drug-related offenses, deadly car accidents … you name it. Anything the dark side of humanity has to offer gets tossed on the lap of the law enforcement officer.

It’s no wonder why anyone who’s on vacation doesn’t want to go back. They are on vacation finally enjoying the bright side of humanity; spending precious time with family, sightseeing, sounds of the ocean, or sitting poolside in the backyard for a week (enough for me!). All that gets disturbed once the vacation is over and the time comes where you have to go back to work.

Combine all of that with the fact that LEO’s are facing the toughest time in America’s history of policing. A climate of “guilty until proven innocent” and being labeled as “the problem” from the media. It’s a mixture of difficult challenges with an already stressful job.

If you are feeling this stress and dread going back to work- you are not alone. Just know that there’s hope. As lawlessness continues to spread, it’s going to be more and more evident that society needs police. If America is going to be governed by law, there have to be people assigned to enforce it.

Take full advantage of your time off and spend it doing the things you enjoy with the people you love. Exercise, road trips, nice dinners, a good book- anything to remind you that there is a bright side to life, you just have to go out and find it. That will make the end of vacation less impactful.

Writer Eddie Molina is the author of A Beginner’s Guide to Leadership, available on Amazon and his website, www.eddiemolina.com