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In this episode, Bob Upson talks about his experiences as a firefighter for over 30 years and how this ultimately became too much for him. He talks about being on a call where 3 young children and their mother suffered their demise. As well as another incident where a deceased driver reminded him of his sister-in-law. Experiences like this were the hard part of being in service of others as long as he was.
Dealing with the drama and trauma, day in and day out, started to take a toll on him. He got to the point where he wasn’t really enjoying it anymore and it was, in fact, dragging him down. He describes how he witnessed some of his firefighting buddies going into a dark downward spiral and knew if he didn’t make a change, he might be next. Ultimately, he decided to leave an environment that was corrosive to him. He says, ‘I thoroughly enjoyed my career as a firefighter but I had reached a point where it was becoming corrosive to me. It was time to leave it to the next generation’!
Tune in to hear how this manly firefighter type tells the world that he’s actually an ‘old fashioned romantic’. Also, hear how he wound up shifting from a career firefighter to an ordained minister! Bob is quite the eclectic guy as he pursues his masters degree in pagan studies, marries people from all walks of life in amazing locations and continues to support the firefighting industry working in the sprinkler industry.
How to Make a Big Shift in Your Life
Take a step back. Take a look at where you are and where you’ve been. You’ve gotten past a lot to get where you are. If you don’t like the direction you’re headed in, you’re the only person who can make the decision to change course. If the situation you find yourself in isn’t where you want to be, know when to walk away and change your horizons.
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You can't develop a thick skin and ignore it because, eventually, it will come out one way or another Click To TweetHow to Connect
Who’s Bob Upson?
Bob Upson is known as ‘The Skeptical Pagan’ and is a lifelong student of world religions and mythology. He has been a minister since 1990 and has a special fondness for weddings between people of diverse religious traditions. His passions include traditional archery, Tang Soo Do, and the value of ritual in human understanding.
Bob is a retired career firefighter now working in the fire sprinkler industry. He holds a Master of Science in Fire Protection Engineering and undergraduate degrees in psychology and fire science technology. He is currently pursuing a master’s degree in pagan studies.
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