There are times when I hear the siren of the firetrucks nearby that I just tear up. Not so much the association with tragedy—though I still remember a fire from childhood in which a neighbor died—but rather from the perspective that fire departments represent one of the ways humans work together to meet our common needs. Kudos to the fire fighters on the front lines and the drivers who still pull over to the side to let them pass and to the tax payers who support this vital common interest.

So many people give of themselves to those around who are in need. And, as Liz often remarks after a morning at the food pantry, at some point we all are, or will be, needy. As much as I enjoy being alone at times, my enjoyment would quickly become pain if I was always alone. Even if we humans seem often to not get along well with each other, the tears the sirens prompt are a deep recognition that we are in this together—and, when we hear that truth, we are also the better for it.

14 Sep This entry was published on September 14, 2015 at 10:14 am. It’s filed under John Snell, John Snell Photographer and tagged fire department, John Snell, Montpelier, Photography, Vermont. Bookmark the permalink. Follow any comments here with the RSS feed for this post.