S is for Sacrifice

In life, we all make sacrifices to varying degrees. It may as simple as giving up something because we cannot afford to do it any more, or as life-changing as relocating far from home for work or to be with a loved one. In films, a sacrifice is often one character jumping in front of a bullet to save another's life, or diving onto a grenade to save the team. They're extreme examples from action movies, but they're the most visual, the former often in slow motion with a slurred "nooooooo!" to emphasise the fact.

Truth, though, is often more amazing than fiction. Take this story I read about recently...

In July 1941, a prisoner escaped from an Auschwitz work party. This man was never found, so ten other prisoners were selected to starve to death in reprisal. One of these men was Francis Gajowniczek, a family man. A priest, Father Maximillian Kolbe, stepped forward and offered to take his place. Father Kolbe was the last of the ten to die, as if he had survived to help the others through to their deaths.

One of my favourite expressions can be paraphrased as "evil only prevails when good men do nothing". I suppose it could also be said that light shines brigher in the deeper darkness. In the wake of terrible scenes over the last week, it's easy to wonder about our humanity. Yet we also need to remember the good things, the sacrifices - large or small - that people make every day. It's the villians and extremists that make the headlines, meaning the heroes are all too often sadly forgotten about.