Celebrate the Differences | All Lives Matter

The below is a letter written in the perspective of a police officer’s wife. It was really nice to just read something that didn’t spike hate, but encouraged love. It truly touched my heart and I hope it can do the same for you. As a disclaimer, all rights belong to the original writer who granted me permission to share.

Been thinking about this a lot lately. Most people don’t know that I didn’t grow up in an exactly cop loving family. I have family that have records from minor to not so minor (some have even met my in laws on a professional level). When I started dating a man that wanted to be a cop…. didn’t go over so well with some. He gave me the opportunity to tell him NO, don’t go to the academy. But, I didn’t want to be the reason for any of his regrets. Just thinking about being on a porch, in a rocking chair in our 80s talking about our lives and having him say “I could have…. but you said no” killed me. I told him I’d rather him go, hate it, and quit than me to keep him from living his dream. We were married 10 years and had 3 kids before my own dad would think of him as anything other than a badge. TEN YEARS of being married to the love of my life and my dad didn’t like him solely based on his career choice. Yes, I regret not telling him no sometimes. Especially with the world now. I can almost see the light at the end of the tunnel as he is closing in on retirement. But seeing what is going on now saddens and scares me. I love his happy stories, I’ve laughed at his funny stories, I’ve heard his scary stories, and let him cry over some tragic stories (the ones he doesn’t share with many). I know the pay sucks, the hours suck, and he has missed a lot of things with our families because of his job. BUT, he would do it all again because of his love of helping people. His God given compassion and strength have gotten him this far. I pray over every cop, firemen, EMT, dispatcher, etc as they are currently the target of anger just because of a few bad ones. Over 70 something cops have been murdered over the death of one man. Neither of which is justified. Remember, those badges are just a piece of metal. Nothing more than a symbol. There is a real, live, person behind that piece of metal. They want to go home too. No one wants to be persecuted for anything. Why would a small piece of metal make it justifiable to hate, hurt, and kill someone? I have 23 years of practice being with and around police officers. I don’t want them hurt or hated any more than my friends and family of color. I want my sister in law, niece, nephews, friends, and thin blue line family to know they MATTER. See the color, see the metal, but choose to celebrate the differences. Just treat everyone as human. Show love for everyone. We are all different on purpose. No one is better or matters more than the other. Stop the hate by celebrating differences, not hurting someone because of them.

“I have heard the gossip of many; terror is on every side. When they conspired against me, they plotted to take my life.

But I trust in you, Lord; I say, “You are my God.” The course of my life is in your power; rescue me from the power of my enemies and from my persecutors.”

Psalm 31:13-15 (CSB)