Heroes

A fertilizer plant in West, Texas the other day caught the attention of at least one off-duty firefighter who immediately rushed to the scene to offer his services in fighting the fire and assisting the injured.  What he ended up offering was his life when the fire suddenly became a terrible explosion killing him and many others in the vicinity.  His family was suddenly and unexpectedly torn apart because of his heroism.
In another incident in the Boston area a campus policeman was shot and killed when two suspected bombing terrorists shot and killed him.  He will never go home to his family again.  He did not go to work yesterday with any expectations of becoming a hero.  He was merely doing his job.
In the past I have joked and kidded about volunteer firefighters and campus police and have heard many jokes about both professions.  I will never again think that these jokes are funny.  These guys have very difficult jobs that are basically thankless. Sometimes, to their families' despair, they become heroes.
And that is nothing to joke about.