A Salute to Heroes

It was seven years ago today when tragedy struck America in the form of airplanes being flown into New York city and Washington, D.C.  On that day, the United States was under attack from an enemy few of us saw as much of a threat, but when the dust had settled we had losses of several thousand people.

While September 11 will live on as a day of tragedy, it was also a day of hope.  What was caused by the worst in people also brought out the best in them.  Many of those who lost their lives that day did so while helping others.  While there were many victims on that horrible day, there were also a great many heroes.

In the days and weeks following the incident, we stopped losing victims, but the heroes kept showing themselves.  Certainly running into a burning building to save others is heroic, but heroes come in all shapes and sizes, and show themselves in a great many ways.  Reaching out to those who lost loved ones is heroic.  Holding concerts to raise money for the survivors is heroic, and even making contributions to help out is heroic.

Our nation came together in a way few of us can recall seeing this country do, and the heroes rose to the surface.  Men, women and children across this land joined their fellow Americans to help out in any way they could, and their heroism should be remembered as well.

I would like to suggest that henceforth September 11 be known as National Heroes Day.  This day will commemorate those heroes of September 11, but also all American heroes, in every generation.  Heroes deserve to be honored, and we should set time aside to say thank you to those people who are heroes every day.

Heroes can be glorious, as the firefighter rushing out of a burning building holding a small child, but they can also be the school teacher who takes the time to work with a student and make the difference between that child going on to college, or dropping out of school.  The nurse at the hospital who takes the time to comfort the patient who is in pain and creating an unpleasant atmosphere for the other patients is a hero.  The local minister who comforts his parishioners when they lose a loved one is just as heroic.  Heroes are born out of love and compassion, and they are truly heroic when that love is expressed to someone they have never met.

There are heroes among us.  We should honor them, for in that honor, we encourage others to let the hero within shine forth.