To you who feel you are not succeeding in your life:

It had been years since I had met anyone that I thought had done extraordinary things with their life without having selfish motives. I looked at Fat Cat ball players that hold themselves out as role models for children. I have met countless politicians that say that they are interested in serving the public. Meanwhile they make a lot of money and enrich themselves.

At one time I was a counselor on medical unit for V.I.P.’s in a large urban hospital. It was my job to meet and comfort the prominent and wealthiest individuals in the community: multimillionaires and billionaires. Every time I would meet these men (the vast majority of them were men), they would say, “Get the —- out of here. I don’t need a counselor.” From experience, I knew better. 

I just kept visiting them: several thousand wealthy individuals in total. As they became ill, many of them died suddenly. Yet most had the same progression in their illnesses that we do. The slow gradual decline from cancer, heart disease, and stroke. I knew what was about to happen. Same as with any sick person, they felt increasingly isolated by their disease. Unlike most people, as they grew sicker, they had fewer and fewer visitors from family and loved ones. Inevitably, without exception, each and every one of them went on to say, “Where the —- is everyone? I built this company and made them rich. How come they are not here?” I just kept on visiting. 

Most had several failed marriages. The fourth spouse and the kids from the first three marriages were usually not very interested in visiting. It was me that would come in on my days off and stay late in the evening to the hold the hand of these men as they died. Without exception, those that lived for more that a few days would say to me, “I did not understand my life at all…I would give my entire fortune for one day to live my life differently.” I was the only one present when they died.

I thought I understood what they meant, but I did not until I met you. The truly magnificent heroes are not the titans of industry, but the workers. They are all of you that I have met. Many of you can barely walk. You go to work to support your kids. You put up with the grief your bosses or customers give you, then struggle when your lover leaves and you raise your children alone. All of you know that know the value of each moment of your life. You who joyously give up your precious health, all that you have left. You happily offer your best to your children and family and expect nothing in return. Thank YOU, my heroes. 

Mike, age 60