There is a girl being bullied for the clothes she wears, but they don't know her mom lost her job last week. There is a boy being called worthless, but they don't know he gets told the same thing at home. There is a boy being thrown against a locker every day, but they don't know he gets it worse at home. No one says stop, no one stands up, but there is always someone watching. The girl looks with tears streaming down her face as if she is begging someone to understand. The boy pleads for help because he wants someone to say the words he can't. Cries can be heard and the screams are breaking glass, but the silence is overwhelming.

So many of us are waiting. We wait to get the next paycheck so we won't have to give the homeless man our last five dollars. We wait to get the teacher degree until we change a child's life. We wait until tomorrow to tell someone we care and that we believe in them but tomorrow never comes.

Every day we all see at least one person that is obviously having a bad day, but no one says anything because they hope the next person will. Everyone knows someone who is struggling with money, but no one does anything because they think the next person will. But that next person never comes.

If you turn on the tv, it is almost guaranteed you will hear of some act of violence, such as the bombings in Turkey, stabbings in Australia, or the African Americans and cops both being shot. Too often we talk about the religion of a person before we talk about the way their smile lights up a room. Too often it is said someone is black before it is said how great of a person they are. Too often someone's physical appearance is told before what is really important. We spend so much time listening to what people are saying that we rarely pay attention to what they don't. You see, people talk, but what they don't say is equally as important.

You don't have to wait for more money, higher education, or tomorrow before you help that girl or that boy. You don't have to wait for more money, a higher education, or tomorrow before you help that homeless man. You don't have to wait for more money, higher education, or tomorrow before you change that child's life. You don't have to wait for more money, higher education, or tomorrow before telling someone you care. You don't have to wait for more money, higher education, or tomorrow before you tell someone their religion nor the race makes you view them any differently. You don't have to wait for more money, higher education, or tomorrow to be the next person to do something.

Sometimes helping someone can be done on a monumental scale, but sometimes all it takes are a few kind words and a compassionate heart. It doesn't cost a penny to stand up for that girl or boy. Spare your five dollars because more than likely you will get five more dollars before that homeless man even gets one. A degree is not needed to tell a child that they are going to change the world someday and that someday can be today. You lose nothing but gain so much more when you tell someone their religion nor race changes who they are to you: human. I am afraid that fact is forgotten too often.

"Not every day is going to offer us a chance to save somebody's life, but every day offers us an opportunity to affect one."

No more silence. Don't wait to be a hero.