With the death toll in Iraq reaching over 2,000 American troops, you don’t have to look far to find a hero in this country.
There is no doubt that the men and women who have selflessly given their lives to serving our country embody the characteristics of a hero.
The brave individuals who are members of the armed services, along with the veterans who served before them, deserve our deepest gratitude, especially as Veteran’s Day approaches.
And while it is appropriate to honor our country’s veterans not only on this national holiday, but everyday, I feel it is also fitting to honor their families as well.
The families of veterans and current soldiers stationed all over the world are our nation’s unsung heroes. These individuals should be equally regarded as heroes for their own sacrifice.
They must go on with life away from their loved one, fully aware of the dangers of war. They do this so that our nation may benefit, and often they go unnoticed.
But they are not the only unsung heroes among us.
Our lives are full of people whose hard work we overlook.
In fact, there are hundreds of heroes on campus who go unthanked everyday.
Just think about your day. When you wake up in the morning, your dorm room might resemble a pigsty.
You somehow manage to make your way past the waist-high pile of dirty clothes, over your textbooks strewn across the floor and around the mound of garbage that has overflowed and now takes up the left corner of your room.
You make it to the doorway unharmed and head down the hall to brush your teeth.
After punching in your bathroom code incorrectly at least three times, you finally make your way to the sink. And you don’t have to trip over any trash on the way!
You don’t want to admit it, but you’re beginning to think this single bathroom shared by about 60 people is cleaner than your room.
Now, do you think that the dorm bathrooms stay so nice and clean by themselves?
Think again. And no, it’s not magic.
And what about when it comes to grabbing a bite to eat?
True, Commons may have switched to self-serve, but you certainly didn’t make the food that you graciously heap onto your plate.
I’m sure I could go on and on. The fact is, we regularly take the jobs of others for granted. We treat relatively notable tasks as if they are trivial.
It’s time to show these unsung heroes a little appreciation.
Taking one minute out of your busy schedule to show your gratitude won’t take much. A simple smile or thank you just may brighten someone’s day.
So today, we salute you custodial staff, dining service workers, secretaries campus-wide and Residential Computing Connection guy.
Unsung heroes can be found in just about any situation.
Think about the man who works 60-hour weeks to put food on the table, the stay-at-home mom or the woman who goes to visit her mother in a nursing home every day.
These individuals are all heroes.
Like veterans, they courageously give themselves for others. However, unlike veterans, they’ll never make the 6 o’clock news.
So next time you come across unsung heroes, be sure to let them know how much they are appreciated.
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Send comments to Taylor at [email protected]
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