Memorials and monuments have been erected in remembrance of great people since the beginning of time. Statues, walls, and obelisks are put in place to memorialize those who paid the ultimate price in defending their country, who lifted the downtrodden, who brought the light of peace, and who rescued others in political or spiritual bondage.
Unfortunately, all the people worthy of our acknowledgement have not had large stone monuments erected in their memory. For many quiet heroes, a simple marker may lie unheralded in the grass of a city cemetery. For others, no memorial exists at all except in the hearts of those who recall their acts of service and sacrifice.
Perhaps the greatest monuments ever built are monuments of love, put together piece by piece through individual deeds of kindness. Such memorials are created by selfless caregivers who sit by a sickbed through a long and painful night, by helpful neighbors who love enough to notice a need and then willingly lend a hand, and by anonymous helpers who offer everything from a passing smile to a substantial sum to rescue those in distress.
Public recognition is not the real memorial for tender acts of kindness or worthy deeds of service. The freedoms won, the opportunities given, the hearts that were touched are the most enduring tributes. Whether for the Unknown Soldier or the well-known hero, the sheer number of people who remember is not the criterion which will, in the end, determine the importance of a good deed. The most enduring memorial is the sincere appreciation which rises to the heavens in testament of a life well lived.
Program #3953