September 11 is just a few weeks away and America will pay tribute to her heroes.  This is the way it should be.  Never before had this generation experience such horrible terrors as we did on that day.  But just who is a hero?  People who are ready to save our lives come to the front of our minds: the soldiers, the firefighters, the police officers, and the medical personnel. But are they the only ones?  Does one have to do something so outstanding that society stands up and take notice?

A few years ago after watching the movie Message in a Bottle I wondered what important message could I leave behind.  What piece of wisdom did I have to offer?

I reviewed my life and all the people who I had close ties to and realized that each of us is a hero.  This defies the usually definition but if we think about it we realize heroes are people who impact our lives.

To a baby, it can be the mother, the father, and anyone who has close contact with him or her.  We sustain the babys life; we cherish and nurture the baby and in the end we receive love.  This seems like such a simple task until we grow up and have our own children.  Then we understand how much effort and thought it takes to raise a child.

And what about the people who are there to educate us and to guide us so we can become a good citizen and functioning member of society? 

Are spouses, siblings, and friends, also not heroes when they are here for us and to support us?  Maybe we should not ask who is a hero but instead realize that every human is very valuable.

What happens when one think they are worthless?  One gives up.  They see no reason to live.  They cannot see how their lives make a difference to anyone.  But someone somewhere will mourn the passing of his or her death.  Is this not enough to make you think of yourself as a hero?

If only we could know how much our present touches someone life today.  Did the smile of the person you met at the convenience store give you a brief lift?  Did the food server at the fast food restaurant make you laugh?  Was the restroom clean at the department store you shopped at?  Did another motorist let you go in front of him as you tried to move out into the heavy traffic?

We are creatures of habit.  We shop, play, and work at places where we feel safe, loved, and comfortable at.  Did you help to make a person feel any of those things today?

You are doing such a good job that I can take you for granted.  I know that you will be there for me meeting my every need and only when you are gone will I understand how much I liked you and how much I miss you.  Please know that you are my hero because I can look up to you and hold you up as an example no matter how small or simple that example is. 

The person who delivers my newspaper in the early morning hour, I have never met and yet if my newspaper were to suddenly stop coming it would be a big lost to me.  I feel good knowing it will be there for me everyday.  This may be a small thing to you but it is a big thing to me.

Take pride in knowing you are my hero, you are important in my life.  I will not come out and say it but will complain very loudly when you are not there, when I can not get my morning drink, or have to stand in line because you were out sick, or wonder where you went when I no longer see you working at my favorite store. 

Ours is a silent relationship.  I will not shout how important you are to me but when you are gone I will miss you.  You are important.  You are a hero.