WHO ARE YOU??

WHO AM I AND WHO ARE YOU??

I AM NOT PERFECT...

I WILL HAVE BAD DAYS, I WILL MISS WORKOUTS, I WILL EAT THINGS I SHOULDN'T, I WILL LET MY FRUSTRATIONS GET THE BEST OF ME, I WILL SPEAK BEFORE I THINK SOMETIMES...

BUT I ALSO KNOW THAT I WILL OVERCOME THESE SHORTFALLS. I KNOW THAT A LEADER IS NOT ALWAYS THE ONE IN FRONT. I KNOW THAT I DON'T ALWAYS HAVE TO BE AT MY BEST, BUT I MUST ALWAYS LOOK TO GET BETTER...I AM NOT PERFECT, WHO ARE YOU??

I KNOW THAT PERFECTION IS NOT ATTAINABLE, SO I MUST KNOW THAT MY BEST AT THAT MOMENT IS AS CLOSE AS I WILL GET - FOR NOW!!

I UNDERSTAND THAT EVERYTHING I ACCOMPLISH DRIVES ME TO WANT MORE. I UNDERSTAND THAT MY BAD DAYS WILL BE FEWER THEN MY GOOD DAYS, BUT I MUST USE THOSE BAD DAYS TO FUEL MY IMPROVEMENTS AND GET BETTER...

I KNOW THAT I AM ACCOUNTABLE TO YOU JUST AS MUCH AS I AM TO MYSELF. THIS IS CALLED LOYALTY..YOU DON'T HAVE TO TELL ME I AM NOT PERFECT, BECAUSE I ALREADY KNOW THAT...I AM REAL, WHO ARE YOU??

I REALIZE THAT I MUST FIND BALANCE IN MY LIFE. FAMILY, FRIENDS, AND PASSIONS TAKE ME AWAY FROM MY PROFESSION - BRIEFLY. I KNOW THAT THIS IS NOT ONLY NECESSARY BUT ALSO VERY HEALTHY AND HELPS KEEP ME FROM BURNOUT...

I ALSO KNOW THAT I AM NOT ASHAMED OF WHAT I DO OR WHERE I AM STATIONED..FOR MY PROFESSION AND MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS OF MY FIRE DEPARTMENT HAVE MADE ME A BETTER FATHER, HUSBAND, AND FIREFIGHTER...I AM PROUD TO BE A FIREFIGHTER AT THE "DIME"...WHO ARE YOU??

I KNOW THAT I AM CAPABLE OF CREATING CHANGE. IF THESE CHANGES ARE BIG OR SMALL, FOR ME PERSONALLY OR FOR MY DEPARTMENT - WHETHER THE CHANGES ARE PHYSICAL OR MENTAL - I KNOW THAT I AM CAPABLE OF CREATING CHANGE. I KNOW THAT I CAN CHANGE OTHERS, FOR BETTER OR WORSE..SO HOW I CREATE CHANGE IS JUST AS IMPORTANT AS WHAT CHANGE IS CREATED...I KNOW THAT I AM NOT PERFECT, BUT I CAN CHANGE - WHO ARE YOU??

I KNOW THAT I AM NOT ALONE. I KNOW THAT SOMETIMES I MAY STAND ALL BY MYSELF, BUT I AM STILL NOT ALONE. I KNOW THERE ARE OTHERS OUT THERE WITH MY SAME VIEWS AND VALUES. I KNOW THAT THESE PEOPLE MAY NOT ALWAYS SPEAK UP LOUDLY, FOR WHATEVER REASON - I KNOW THAT THEY ARE NOT ALONE...I STAND WITH THOSE THAT STAND WITH ME, WHO ARE YOU??

I KNOW THAT I AM INVOLVED. I AM INVOLVED IN MY COMMUNITY, IN MY DEPARTMENT, IN MY UNION. I AM INVOLVED WITH MY FRIENDS, FAMILY, AND FITNESS. I KNOW THAT I MUST STAY INVOLVED EVEN WHEN I FEEL LIKE NOTHING IS GETTING DONE. I KNOW THAT IN ORDER TO CREATE THE CHANGE I WISH TO, I MUST BE INVOLVED...I KNOW I AM INVOLVED, WHO ARE YOU??

YOU SEE I KNOW WHO I AM AND WHO I AM NOT. I KNOW THAT I HAVE A LOT OF ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT PHYSICALLY, PERSONALLY, AND PROFESSIONALLY. THESE CHANGES WILL COME WITH TIME AS LONG AS I STAY INVOLVED. I KNOW THAT I AM MY BIGGEST CRITIC AND HOLD MYSELF ACCOUNTABLE FOR MY ACTIONS. THIS DRIVES ME TO IMPROVE EVERYDAY AND TRY TO BECOME THE BEST I CAN BE...

I KNOW WHO I AM, WHO ARE YOU??