The best human beings we know are those who serve others in one — or more than one — of the myriad ways that such a thing can be done.

Such activities can be a part of one's job or, as very often happens, they can be totally separate.

Just one person helping others. What we have found from experience is that those who spend their working days helping people, ususally do it off the clock, too. That is why they got in their chosen profession.

For many Americans, service is a way of life. Indeed, when we look at Marshall and Harrison County, we are amazed at just how much some individuals are able to accomplish in their lives.

It is both inspiring and humbling to live among such people.

But some within the community, though they are generally good people, do little overtly to help their fellow man.

They may put a few dollars in the collection plate at church, or they may give to United Way — both are good things — but mostly these people sit while others do the grunt work.

So now there is another opportunity for service that we would like to see Marshall gear up for, though time is short for this year.

It is the move to make Sept. 11 a national day of service.

Fittingly, this is taking hold in New York City in a big way. After all, that was the focal point of the attacks on America on Sept. 11, 2001.

But we cannot think of a better way for America to commemorate the lives of those lost on that horrible day.

The lives were taken by those who only wanted to destroy.

A national day of service is an opportunity for us all to build in many ways what the attackers tried to tear down.

We know the power of the American spirit is more than the worth of any building or anything of made of mere materials.

With just about two weeks before the Sept. 11 observance, it is probably impossible to get anything set up in an organized sort of way, but that doesn't mean we cannot individually do something to serve our communities in some way.

Even if it is nothing more than a random act of kindness, which we so often encourage, that is doing something positive.

So we encourage all our readers to begin thinking of something they can do on Sept. 11 to make our community, nation and world a better place in which to live.

It honors those who died that day and it will help those who carry on after them.

No one should really need to be told what to do. If nothing else, you can take a trash bag and pick up litter off the side of the road. That alone can make a difference. In one hour, one person can clean a great deal of litter. Think about 500 people each spending an hour and you get the picture.

Perhaps next year we can prepare for the day in a more organized fashion, but even if no one picks up the challenge to do this, it doesn't stop us as individuals.

The power of "one" has been demonstrated many times over just the last few years. One is not, as the song would have us believe, "the lonliest number," but the most potent one.

Let us make it show in Marshall this year and in every year to follow.