In this age where our heroes are sports stars, leading men, and rock idols, I would like to take a moment to acknowledge the true unsung heroes: the firemen, the nurses, the sanitation and maintenance people, without whom our lives wouldn't run very smoothly, and wouldn't keep us protected and safe.

How many times have you asked yourself, "Why are they doing that?" Hardly glamorous, hardly good-paying, hardly noticed, they quietly never let us down, and ask for nothing. Their hearts are in the right place, and their sense of humility and humanity should be a lesson to us all.

The risk are immense - be it the coal miner risking his health, the fireman risking his life, the AIDS nurse putting her compassion before her caution. God bless them and protect them.

May the years to come bring out more people whose priorities add up to more than the almighty dollar. ?