Be safe

I tend to intentionally not think about things that worry me.

It’s a coping mechanism, really, and it can be good or bad. Sometimes, the thing I’m worried about is something I need to deal with, and not thinking about it only makes the problem larger. But I’ve found that worrying about things I can’t control is a waste of time and energy, I’m typically a pretty positive person and I attribute that to my ability not to dwell on negative thoughts.

As the father of two police officers, dwelling on negative thoughts can be a slippery slope. I’m proud of my sons and proud of their career choices. I know that what they do is dangerous, but I also know that they are aware of the risks and have chosen to earn their livelihood in service of others.

I know that something could go wrong. But I try very hard not to think about it, because those things are out of my control and I don’t want my sons to pick up on my fears. They need to be confident in order to do their jobs every day.

My oldest son, Ronnie, is a patrolman for the Sherwood Police Department in central Arkansas. His younger brother, Ryan, is a patrolman with the Gentry Police Department and formerly worked for the Carroll County Sheriff’s Office and the state Probation and Parole office. Ryan graduated last month from the Northwest Arkansas Law Enforcement Training Academy in Springdale.

As I said, I try not to worry about them. After all, though, isn’t that my job as a parent?

I spoke with Ronnie briefly early Sunday morning, not long after he started his shift on duty. He had to cut the call short to respond to a call, but promised to call me back later.

My wife, Lisa, and I decided to take advantage of the cool weather and take in a baseball game, but by early afternoon Ronnie still hadn’t called me back.

As I said, I try very hard not to worry. But it’s always in the back of my mind and it didn’t help when my call to Ronnie went straight to voicemail.

A few minutes later, though, my phone rang and I was able to relax. Ronnie had been tied up on another call, but all was well. Just a couple more hours and he’d be home with his family.

Before we ended the call, I said the same thing I always say when I finish a conversation with my sons.

“Be safe.” Ronnie responds the same way every time: “Always.”

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Scott Loftis is editor and publisher of the Carroll County News. His email address is SLoftis@CarrollCoNews.com.