From the Desk of Chief Ogden | By Chief David A. Ogden
In nearly four decades of police work, I’ve witnessed more suffering than I can count; trauma scenes, broken families, tragedies that never made the headlines.
And I haven’t been immune.
Losing a child. Walking through deep pain from a family member.
Pain doesn’t discriminate. Rank doesn’t shield you. Experience doesn’t exempt you.
As I continue writing Seeds of Resilience, I’ve noticed something about the people who endure adversity. They don’t avoid pain; they carry it differently. Even in hardship, they choose gratitude.
Recently, I invited a friend who had been walking through months of deep personal struggle to help deliver beds with Sleep in Heavenly Peace, whose mission is simple: No kid sleeps on the floor in our Town.
We delivered to two families. The gratitude in a young mother’s eyes said everything.
Afterward my friend looked at me and said, “This is the best day I’ve had in six months.”
Sometimes gratitude doesn’t come naturally.
Sometimes it’s discovered in service.
So if you’re hurting…
If you’re lonely…
If life feels heavy…
Get up. And serve someone else.
Your pain may not disappear, but your perspective will change, and sometimes that’s where healing begins.
Regards,
David A. Ogden
“Outdo one another with Honor.”
