“Shaking in the Forest” by Lori R. Hodges

Shaking in the Forest

Lori R. Hodges
Köehlerbooks (2024)
ISBN: 979-8888244005
Reviewed by Dawn Colclasure for Reader Views (05/2024)

When Lori Hodges wondered what to do with her life, all it took was to see an ambulance en route. Thus sets the stage for “Shaking in the Forest: Finding Light in the Darkness,” her gripping and emotional memoir of her years as a firefighter, paramedic, and emergency management service worker. Before becoming an official firefighter, however, Lori did the logical thing and worked as a volunteer firefighter. After her experiences as a firefighter, she had that, “Where do I go from here?” moment. She felt the call to move on to something else and that something else appeared as an ambulance.

But it took some time for her to get on the right path. She grew up with a father who was first an alcoholic, then an abusive alcoholic. Working in a detox center helped her to see what long-term alcoholism can do to a body.

Alcohol is a poison to the body; it dulls your senses and keeps you from being able to see life clearly. My work in emergency services also helped me to better understand my father and what he was going through much later in his life. (Page 50)

In spite of the bad experiences Lori faced in growing up, and learning about the tragedies in her family’s history, she ultimately transforms into an empathic and well-rounded adult. Her work in the detox center, plus as an emergency responder, coupled with her life experiences, all helped her to become the person that she is today. It is refreshing to see that Lori took everything she went through in life and used it as part of her job training to heal and grow.

Her experiences as a paramedic also helped her to stay true to finding the good in humanity, without losing faith in it – even after everything she has been through.

While paramedicine showed me the dark side of human nature at times, it also showed me the light. Disasters start with a horrible act but always—always—end with the absolute best of humanity. Communities come together to help their fellow neighbors, those unaffected donate their money or volunteer their time to help strangers, and multiple agencies work together to ensure a swift and complete recovery. In the difficult work of emergency response and emergency management, the lesson here is to see beyond the challenge or the call in front of you. Look for the beauty that comes after that call. Look for the good in the bad. It is always there. (Page 72)

Reading about her being gaslighted by doctors due to her chest pain was frustrating. I am so glad she eventually found a doctor who noticed something was wrong and that she took action to get answers for her long-term chest pain. But here again, we see how her training in paramedicine helped her. She knew you don’t mess around with chest pain, and she also knew that she had to stand up for herself just as she would for her patient.

Some readers may question if it’s right for someone in a line of work to share stories about their clients or patients. However, it does help to have these stories back up what the author is saying. In this case, readers get to experience different situations Lori had while working as a paramedic and then in emergency services. All the experiences she had helped shape her ultimate views about people, humanity, and the world. She shares the good and the bad, the ups and the downs. And in doing so, she is able to create her own views about people in this world. As she writes on page 100,

I know now that there is no such thing as a good person or a bad person. Instead, we are all shades of gray. It is our choices that lead us to one side or the other. Every single person is both a hero and a deeply flawed individual. Each day we are tested and given a chance to start fresh, to right wrongs from the past, to possibly be the hero in someone’s story.

While some of her stories are humorous or frightening, they are also enlightening. Her stories made me have a deeper appreciation for the hundreds of people working in emergency services and as first responders.

The big thing that I liked about reading this book is how the author shares life lessons she learned not just on the job but also in life. There’s even a teachable moment she gleaned from playing pool with a cocky college student. There are just so many things that she went through and experienced that shaped her into the person she grew to be and nurtured her perspectives on life and humanity. Hers is such an inspiring life story. It is incredible and impressive how she broke through so many barriers and persevered despite the odds stacked against her.

By far, this is my favorite quote from the book:

Make plans now. Go on that trip, see the family members you wish to see, paint that picture, take that walk. Don’t wait until retirement to make all your dreams come true—you may not ever get there. Instead of living each day as if it were your last, use each day wisely in the pursuit of your dreams. (Page 160)

Out of everything the author has experienced, seen, lived through, and learned in her life, this right here is the ultimate lesson everyone should pay attention to.

“Shaking in the Forest” by Lori R. Hodges is an inspirational memoir full of pain, progress, trauma, humor, and hope. It is a story of one person treading through the storms of life and coming out of it all with her feet still firmly planted on the ground.