This summer in Colorado Springs, with over 300 houses in flames, there were firefighters trying to save salvageable homes while they knew theirs were burning to the ground. How do you cope with that?
Most who deal in rescues know you don’t—at least right then. You put it in a little corner of the back of your mind, and it smolders … and smolders. If you don’t finally deal with it, it can (like the fire to the houses) permanently damage, even destroy you, both mentally and physically.
Whether it be injury, death, loss of property, or loss of a way of life, coping with loss is central to moving on. As a doctor, I’ve seen too many times of major loss to remember them all. And like most of you, I’ve experienced it also.
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