The Curious Case of The Firehouse

Last night, I watched The Curious Case of Benjamin Button for the second time. For those who have not seen the movie, it follows Benjamin Button, a character whose  aging process is backwards. Essentially, he is born an old man, and watches the world in reverse.  It is a beautiful movie ( and not just because of Brad Pitt.) As I was watching it this time, there is a specific scene about 2/3 of the way through the movie. I won’t be a spoiler for those who have not seen it, but the dialogue captures how life can change in an instant. Literally, a split second can cause a world to explode. As I was watching it, I couldn’t help thinking about the guys at The Firehouse. How some of these men were fine one day and then homeless the next. How a man could have a wife and a house and a job and go to sleep so excited about his fishing trip next week he forgets to unplug the space heater that is sitting too close to his kids backpack. Bam. His life is irreparably changed. Or a girl who makes one poor decision, maybe based on love, maybe her resolution was softened by alcohol, and Bam. Her life is changed. Forever.

This concept is one that I grapple with. I remember when my son was about 3, he was a tremendous swimmer. He swam better than he could walk. One sunny day we were outside by my parent’s pool. I was standing right by the water’s edge. He turned around and jumped in backwards. As I watched, I saw he was too close to the side of the pool. In a split second, I knew his little three year old sweet face was going to make contact with the concrete side, I saw it, I reached, but there was no way to prevent it. The crack of his face, the look in his eyes as I reached into the water and pulled up his little wet body with blood running down his face- that is how life changes in an instant. Sometimes you are blindsided by disaster, but sometimes you see it coming but there is no way to stop the momentum, the force of the world.

The men that stay at the shelter have been brutalized by the world, by luck, by circumstance, by self sabotage. When my baby was pulled from the water, he had me to pick him up, hug him, clean him, and seek medical intervention. He is ok. He still loves swimming. Our guys at The Firehouse simply don’t have anyone to pick the up and comfort them. They fall and stay down until our agency collectively picks them back up and shows them that no matter how bad something is, there are people in this world that love unconditionally, and are willing to help. The only cure to absolute devastation is love and hope. It isn’t the materials provided, the rebuilt house. It is the love behind the gesture of giving the materials and the hope that the future may be brighter because there is now a support network.  

I think that above all else, love goes further, deeper, and means more. Love is an action word that can be transferred by a simple look. So many simple things in life that we just forget to do, until we forget how to do them. My hope and prayer is that we never forget how to love those who need it the most. When someone needs love, it is our absolute duty to give it willingly. This is what The Firehouse is all about.