Who are your heroes?  Ball players?  Astronauts?  Movie stars?  The economist, writer, and actor Ben Stein recently wrote in a book titled "The Real Stars" that the people to whom we pay millions of dollars and lavish non-stop adulation are seldom worthy of the worship they receive.

Stein wants us to look to the soldiers, police officers and firefighters who daily stand watch for us.  Those who go where we don't want to go when there is danger, run into fires when we run out, go in harms way when we are safe.  Clearly these people and many others who perform similar jobs are heroes; they risk their safety and well-being for others.

All that said we rarely have an encounter with one of those heroes, but we still have heroes in our lives everyday, even in our homes.  Tonight, I want you to look at your parents, who tirelessly serve you as chauffeurs, cooks, launderers, schedule keepers, tutors, and are your biggest advocate  They do this for no pay.  Not that any parent wouldn't do anything for their children, but as you travel home this evening, thank those heroes in your home for everything they do for you, everyday  I'm sure they know you appreciate what they do, but an occasional, "Thank you, Mom and Dad" certainly would not hurt.

Good night, gentlemen.