King Abdullah, the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, has granted a posthumous medal and a SR1 million award to each of three female teachers who died in the fire at Bara'em Al-Watan Girls' School in Jeddah while trying to save the lives of schoolchildren. The King's order to grant the King Abdul Aziz First Class Medal and the financial reward to the families of the three teachers is the sincere gesture of a father to his daughters in recognition of their heroic deed in sacrificing their own lives for the sake of the female students trapped in the fire. This was King Abdullah's way of expressing his condolences to the teachers' families and his appreciation for the teachers' courage and selflessness in giving their lives so that the trapped schoolchildren might live. King Abdullah's personal touch of sincerity and fatherly love sends a message to every citizen that he appreciates the virtue of good deeds and individual sacrifices for the common good. The three teachers have become a model for every soldier standing to fight in defense of the state and for scientists, ordinary citizens and even expatriates who would not hesitate to give up their lives for the common good. This brings to mind the heroism of Pakistani expatriate Farman Ali Khan who died while rescuing other people swept away by deadly floods when heavy rains fell on Jeddah a few years back. His heroism has not been forgotten. Heroism is a virtue that transcends racial and geographical barriers. It is not necessarily the act of sacrificing one's life to save the lives of others. It can be just a simple act of goodness or uprightness which enables a small community or a nation to live in peace and harmony. It can be the simple act of helping a neighbor in distress, or of providing food to a hungry friend or even a stranger or expressing sincere sympathy for the well-being of others. It can be doing one's job diligently or an employer's sincere empathy for his workers. __
