The Unsung

The unsung heroes are the women and men who receive no accolades or rewards or media attention but who hope to effect change. They are the people who appear at rallies and protests, the peaceful folk that make up the numbers that are seen and reported. Size is noted. I was once told by a politician who said, all letters to ministers are placed in files and they do count. The thicker the file, the more attention it gets. That is logical since each letter represents a voter.  I don't speak of the sort of professional protester who is among the well-trained individual that educate others in the how-tos and what not-tos. No. These are the ordinary persons who read in the press or watch on line about certain matters that will directly affect not only them, but also everyone around them: their families and community, in fact. I live amongst a number of these admirable citizens who take the time and trouble to appear at town halls and forums and become perhaps not one of the identifiable speakers who are brave enough to go to the mike, but are those who make up the numbers in the audience. They know they are what counts. The larger the representation, the greater the attention. Although I appreciate the speakers,  I take my hat off to the unsung heroes who give up their quiet evenings at home, to show their support for what they believe in. I was once one of them but age doesn't allow all of us elders to feel comfortable carrying signs or risking being pushed over and trampled by an emotional crowd. But that doesn't mean we are inactive.  There is something we can do. We can write letters, make the issues known to those around us and socially offer opinions to support what we believe in. Elderly doesn't mean helpless. While our lights may dim as we all succumb to time eventually, we have to remember that the starry sky above, has enough small lights to make it bright on a clear night. After researching the truths, we  elders, may make our needs and those of our fellow beings known by first finding out the truths and then deciding to do some shining.