This post was originally published March 14th, 2016.
January 13th, 1982: Air Florida Flight 90 crashed into the Potomac River. Only six of the 74 passengers survived the crash and ended up in the icy water. While a helicopter was able to come in and snatch four of the 6 passengers one disappeared under the water while another – Priscilla Tirado – helplessly struggled in the 33 degree water. Unable to hold on to the rope lowered by the helicopter she began to drown. A bystander who witnessed the crash while he was walking home could not take it any longer. He could not stand there and watch this women drown. He removed his coat and jumped in the water. He swam over to her as she laid just under the water, grabbed her – and pulled her to the bank.
He saved her life.
This is the epitome of the Sheepdog.
Not everyone can jump into action and put themselves into harm’s way. Not everyone can be a Sheepdog. Can it be learned or developed? Probably. People are just wired in different ways.
I have had several situations where things were happening nearby and I could not just sit back and not get involved. Sometimes it was preventing someone from getting hurt. Sometimes it was standing up for someone. Sometimes it was helping someone who was already hurt. Risk evaluation has to be done but sometimes there just isn’t any time.
Saturday evening I was walking through uptown Charlotte, NC with a friend. Walking down the sidewalk along the busy street I came towards a metal bench. I wasn’t looking at it rather just walking with my friend talking. In an instant, I saw a child run around from the front of the bench to the back of it and then straight towards the busy car filled street. I didn’t think about it I just moved. I ran and grabbed the kid – about 2 years old – just inches from the street. Did I save the kids life? I don’t know. The father noticed the kid as well and put his hand out in front of the child right at the same time I got to him.
My heart was pounding in my chest. My buddy said he didn’t see anything and just saw me take off. Some big, muscular guy said his heart was racing because he thought the kid was going to get hit. I almost said it but didn’t – “Why did you just stand there?”
The answer to that question is not everyone reacts the same nor has the capability to react the same.
As for me – I will continue to mind my own business until it’s time NOT to mind my own business.
JR.
Cool story JR, I understand and your right everyone is wired differently. I am a sheep dog too.
Training a sheepdog.. yes and no .. You can’t go through a class and at the end “you are a sheepdog”… As you said, some people just aren’t built that way .. or wired. I do think there are sheepdogs that don’t know they are.
I can name three events, but won’t bore you with them, that set me on that path. I wasn’t a sheepdog, not yet, call it a sheep puppy maybe. The point where you have a nagging something, but don’t know what it is. So to set the stage I was ready, but was missing a key ingredient. I went to work for a place and a guy that I had never yet known, but through a friend. He was a vietnam vet, rotor wing and halo/haho instructor, and special ops type turned IT guy. He saw the puppy and decided to coach/teach him.. I agreed, though not in so many words. He was much my senior 15 years probably. He was hard and tough with a no BS attitude. Workouts, running, firearms, and i took more than one whipping from him learning other skills. It was all fun to me, but in the process were passed along values and ideas. Ways of looking at and analyzing things and situations. It would not have taken if it had not fit my personality, and one day i realized that nagging thing I didn’t understand wasn’t nagging anymore.Shortly thereafter he went to work for one of those organizations because he really did not fit and wasn’t happy not doing that or doing IT. After a couple false starts I went to work for an organizations that was much closer than IT to military and those types of guys n gals. He used to say something was missing and when he left for the the new place, that filled it. Now that I am not there .. I understand what he meant beyond the words.
What I am getting at and perhaps saying poorly, is that sheepdogs are there, but they need a mentor to grow into that skin and wake up and see they are sheepdogs. You cannot give something you do not have or know about, whether through example or instruction. And trust me it is not limited to men only. I do think there are fewer coaches for women and often gals get their examples and coaching from men. They can cleanup good, and still be very tough.
Ever since that first coach I have made it a practice to get to know people like that, as they are more like me than other types or non-sheepdogs. I am sure some of them are here, and elsewhere. I honestly have no real respect for those that aren’t. But then sheepdogs know a wolf when they see one and move to confront them, regardless of situation. Most often they step in front of the sheep to confront the wolf. It’s easy, because the sheep are not moving forward.I suspect wolves go through the same type process, but just make a different choices and have different coaches. The ones I know are that way at least. We don’t associate, but we do recognize each other.It’s a discomfort you learn to identify. an Intuition, or inner voice .. whatever it is to you.
In my opinion, a mature sheep dog has two roles, and maybe three. First, is BE a sheepdog and a good example. Second, recognize and support young sheepdogs and help them get trained up in what to do and how to think. Third but as important, associate with other sheepdogs for learning and support.You can never be all things. If you are not looking for sheepdogs, you cannot find the pups and you fail in two of the three things by default.
I appear to be writing philosophically today. So be it. Nearing the eve of the celebration of the resurrection of our Lord and Savior some introspection is called for I think. Are we doing what we ought to have done ? Have we not done that which we should not do? Who will we be tomorrow? Are we there or on the right path ? If yes, then help others achieve it. If you don’t know, then the answer is no at least in part. Start again, because other than learning from the past, the future is all we have.
Happy Easter Everyone ! This is a time of renewal, a reformation for us all.
GG58
Happy Easter GG58 – thanks for sharing.
This is off topic but I need to get an answer when I move to SC. I had a dress blues jacket made using the NY civil war artillery jacket as a pattern to to with my “Leatherneck” tartan kilt. I discovered that the Civil War yankee Marine Corps jacket was the same. I order a pair of slate blue trousers and had Blood Stripes sewn on them. Bought a kepi and found the Marine Corps Civil War emblem and put that on. The point being I could get more wear out of this jacket than just with the kilt. I wear the Civil War uniform on Memorial Day. The millions dollar question is……….: What kind of reaction would I get if I wear the Civil War Marine uniform in SC? Answer by email if you like!
Interesting question Firehawk and I have no specific knowledge or experience to answer. Southerners are very proud of their heritage. If a Northerner were to arrive in Union blues I suspect it may not be looked at favorably but I really do not know.
Oh…by the way. I am a sheepdog. It takes an attitude and a sense of what is inherently right and wrong and a willingness to put yourself out there. I agree that sometimes you just have to react. It is a kind of muscle memory……! Am I a hero….? Hell no..! I just get really cranked up about what is going on in this country today. Tea party people, real patriots are sheepdogs. Oooo….Rahhh….! Semper Fi…!
Thank you Firehawk for being a Sheepdog. We need as many out there as possible.
Good concept.
I stopped three kids in a sophisticated team play from pickpocketing old lady’s handbag as she boarded a bus forty years ago, never forgot. One reason never forgot is that I was not armed at all and could have been stabbed for butting in, second time in my life I lucked out. Intervening bystanders come to bad ends at times.
I think that is part of the Sheepdog build. When something happens there is not an analysis to weigh the pro’s and con’s of taking action – or not. Instinct? Possibly.
i am the wolf, I wont put myself at risk for the sake of others survival, my only duty is to make sure me and mine survive, no one else is my responsibility, once SHTF we are all on our own, plan accordingly.
We all have our own limitations and moral guidelines.
I hear where you are coming from .. and in the final you are right, You and yours are your responsibility. My local and extended family are very important to me. I think about it as a list of priorities. family first group second .. small team big team.. kind of like military.. but not exactly. (Not ignoring God guys, just avoiding that discussion in this topic).
My thoughts were I can’t know it all and do it all, but, lets say I could. It means I am more necessary that anyone else. What happens if I get older and sicker and die.. how do i care for them then ? Not that anyone will care for them like I do, but they would need help and I’d want them to have it if needed. So I spend time and energy with other people earning their thanks and trust. I learn and I teach…
lastly you can’t do anything about a bunch of folks working together as a group if you don’t have group strength. That is the single biggest weakness in the prepper areas overall. Lack of organization. No doubt it woudl come together, but the less we know other people, the longer it would take to get everything back on track. The longer it takes, the more suffering there will be. It woudl eventually get back around to me and mine if it didn’t start there IMO.
Just some thoughts, and not criticisms at all. Treat them like a grocery store. If you can use them they are yours, and you can’t just leave em there.
GG58
i have always been a sheepdog. when i was raising my kids, they referred to me as mama bear. i have never rub away from a situation where i thought i could be of help and i never will. old age has just slowed me down a bit but it hasn’t detered me at all.