Recently, during my drive home from Washington, I was listening to Mariah Carey’s song, "Hero." As I slowed my car for a McCulloh Street traffic light, Ms. Carey was singing these truth filled words:

"It’s a long road when you face the world alone. No one reaches out a hand for you to hold."

I waited for the light to change and watched some young children as they played a game on an asphalt parking. Using nothing but broom sticks and soda cans, their improvising genius had transformed trash into treasure.

Childhood memories flashed through my mind as I watched the youngsters. Then, by rules unknown to adults, one of the children must have scored. A cheer and high-fives suddenly erupted from their asphalt playground....

The traffic light turned green. Returning to my journey homeward, Mariah Carey’s words echoed the thoughts which those small children had planted in my mind:

"When you feel like hope is gone,
look inside you and be strong,
and you’ll finally see the truth
that a hero lies in you."

A few days later on September 15th, I was thinking about the children on that Baltimore street corner when I joined my House colleagues in saluting Sammy Sosa of the Chicago Cubs for his athletic skill and for the dignified, modest conduct which he had demonstrated in pursuit of the single-season home run record.

A native of the Dominican Republic, Sammy Sosa is a hero to Latin Americans and all of us in the United States. My respect for Mr. Sosa, however, goes far beyond his athletic abilities and admirable sportsmanship. I spoke to the House about Mr. Sammy Sosa, a man who has never forgotten the world from whence he came.

Like my McCulloh Street children, Sammy Sosa learned to improvise. Seeking to learn the skills of baseball, Sammy Sosa was forced to crush a milk carton for his glove, tightly roll a sock for his ball and trim a broomstick for his bat.

Soon, the sock ball would no longer test his maturing talent. Sammy Sosa found used golf balls to hit as he worked to further his baseball education. Later in life, as the world has seen, Sammy Sosa would find it far easier to hit a real base ball.

Sammy Sosa’s father died when he was 10. Left to help his mother take care of his seven brothers and sisters, and putting games aside, Sammy Sosa would gather used rags and shoe polish every day to shine rich people's shoes at the beach.

One day, Sammy Sosa and his brother met a factory owner named Bill Chase. Mr. Chase was so impressed with the shoe shine operation of the Sosa brothers that he began giving them extra tips.

Later, he bought Sammy a real baseball glove. Eventually, Bill Chase helped the Sosa brothers move forward to baseball careers in the United States.

Mr. Sammy Sosa, the successful athlete and human being, has never forgotten his childhood poverty. He constantly gives back to the people of his native Dominican Republic. The man who once could not afford a real baseball glove now supports schools, hospitals and Little League baseball teams, uplifting the lives of thousands.

These days, I often think about Sammy Sosa as I listen to discussions about role models and personal morality. From adversity, Sammy Sosa learned what it takes to be a true hero.

Personal moral standards are important, but I believe even more strongly that it is the public morality we demonstrate by our love for others which will transform our world.

In Dr. King’s words, I believe that "... unconditional love will have the final word in reality." Sammy Sosa’s story demonstrates that wonderful things happen when we love our neighbors and work together to uplift their lives.

By simple acts of kindness, we can find the heroes who live within our hearts.   Like Sammy Sosa, each of us can find the hero’s power to change someone’s life, and thus changing the world.