Gemini Rising

Blog Week Post #2 - Decisions

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Blog Week Birthday Bastion 2024  (13+) Blogging event from September 1-7, 2024. Closed. #2277665 by WakeUpAndLive~doingNaNo'24

Today’s Prompt for 2 SEP is:

Tell us about an earthshaking Life-or-Death situation in your life. What happened, how did it change you, if at all?

Word Count: 370

Gosh, this one can be a tough one. I think we made so many decisions over the course of our lives and mine has a lot. Getting my first job at NHRGA, joining the Army, visiting Berlin before the wall fell, getting married, getting out of the army, getting a job with LAPD, deciding to write and publish my writing, joining Writing.com, having my kids, scouting with my kids, and now I’m facing the retirement decision.

Decisions come quick to Geminis and sometimes we don’t always thinking out ALL the consequences that can occur with our decisions. Sometimes I think I know something, make a decision and realize that I was too rash in making that decision because I didn’t have all the facts.

In 1997 I had applied for two dispatching jobs. One with LAPD and one with the Ventura County Sheriff’s office at the time, as I lived in Ventura county. The process for both were about the same. Take a written test, provide proof that I was a decent typist, do an interview, and get a background check. LAPD’s process was a bit more extensive with a drug test and a medical background test. I believe Ventura County offered me the dispatching job first, but I knew LAPD’s offer wouldn’t be far off. My husband said, see if you can wait for LAPD. I told Ventura Sheriff’s I’d think about it.

LAPD’s offer came in. It was more money and bigger benefits. I took their offer. Ventura Sheriff’s was sad to see me go, but understood.

How did it change me? I don’t know if it changed me, but it did “sharpen” me. Previous to being a dispatcher, I was in the Army. I’ve been “Service to Others,” practically my whole life and I enjoy it very much. It sharpened the knowledge within me that I wanted my life’s focus to be “service to others.” It also showed me that dispatchers are a close community and I do have a core group of work friends who share my values. Being a dispatcher reinforced in me the type of person I want to be, and I’ve learned it’s something I enjoy. I’m a happier person because of it.