A hero is defined as follows:
oʊ
2. a person who, in the opinion of others, has heroic qualities or has performed a heroic act and is regarded as a model or ideal: He was a local hero when he saved the drowning child.
3. the principal male character in a story, play, film, etc.
4. Classical Mythology .
When we think of hero's we often think of the ones we read or hear about in stories, movies, fairy tales, and comics. They are the brave ones who stand up and fight for the truth and what we know to be right. They are the people we dream of as kids. The ones we admire from a far and hope to one day find in real life. They are our knights in shinning armor known as the Disney Princes. Our defenders of the weak known as Batman, Superman, and the Ninja Turtles. They are the brave who lead the fight like Captain America. They are who we dream about being and dream about finding in real life when we one day grow up.
a. a being of godlike prowess and beneficence who often came to be honored as a divinity.
b. (in the Homeric period) a warrior-chieftain of special strength, courage, or ability.
c.(in later antiquity) an immortal being; demigod.
When we think of hero's we often think of the ones we read or hear about in stories, movies, fairy tales, and comics. They are the brave ones who stand up and fight for the truth and what we know to be right. They are the people we dream of as kids. The ones we admire from a far and hope to one day find in real life. They are our knights in shinning armor known as the Disney Princes. Our defenders of the weak known as Batman, Superman, and the Ninja Turtles. They are the brave who lead the fight like Captain America. They are who we dream about being and dream about finding in real life when we one day grow up.
And sometimes with all of this dreaming we forget that heroes really exist. We forget that they are real and that the that ones we dream about were all inspired by the real life version of that hero. Every Disney Prince has a real life counterpart. The guy who comes into the world out of nowhere and sweeps the maiden off her feet. The man who is just a little ruff around the edges but will take you on grand adventures and rescue and defend you at a moments notice. We forget that there are still defenders of the weak. Every Batman and ninja turtle was model after someone who really existed. There are still people who will stand up and fight for those who can't fight for themselves. And most of all there are still those who are willing to stand up and lead the fight in the battle to protect our freedoms and rights just like Captain America. All of the heroes that we dream about exist in the real life versions. And sometimes they are even closer then we think.
And sometimes the hero in your life may take on a new form. Sometimes that hero turns out to be the person who makes you laugh. It could be a person who lifts you up when all you want to do is fall. It could be the person that brings you back to reality and helps you get back on your feet after your dreams have crumbled. A lot of times these heroes come not in the versions of the Prince, or Batman, or Captain America. But they come in the form of something we see much more often. These heroes are often what we call friends, family, parents, teachers, and neighbors. Sometimes they even come in the form of a stranger who just happened to cross your path when you needed them too. These people become our everyday heroes. They become the ones that we call on for help. They becomes the ones that we lean on when we can't stand on our own. And they are the ones who help guide us in our lives, even when we don't want to follow.
And I for one, am grateful. I am grateful to the friend who bought me sherbet because she could tell I was down. I am grateful for those who pull me back to reality and then help me find my way through. I am grateful to the men who came to my rescue when my car decided not to start, and then came to my rescue throughout the week when it continued to have a mind of its own. I am grateful to the stranger who told me that she thought I would be very good and what I do.
So, thank you. Thank you to all of the everyday heroes in my life and in the world. Thanks for letting me call you my family and friends. My neighbors and teachers, and sometimes even my strangers. Thank you for being who you are and for doing the great things that you do. And for those of you reading this thinking that what you do for those around you is just a small act or doesn't amount to anything, you are wrong. For even a smile can be the greatest heroic act for the person who needs it.
No comments:
Post a Comment