Heroes

As kids, we probably all admired comic book superheroes. We may have even fantasized about being rescued in one of their stories. Superman wore a cape and saved the cities of the earth from annihilation. Wonder Woman ran super-fast and used her tiara as a boomerang to catch the bad guy. Spiderman hid his identity and shot webs from his wrist to entangle his enemy. Captain America had an indestructible shield and extraordinary strength. The Hulk was a mean green superpower machine, able to travel miles with one jump and breathe underwater. These heroes had the same goal in mind, to overthrow evil and balance the scales of justice.

A hero isn’t necessarily someone who rescues damsels in distress. Heroes are everyday people. They are often someone unassuming who we pass in the aisle of the store and not give them another thought. Every day heroes don’t wear capes. They don’t have a magic wand to wave and make all things right. Some are facing life’s hardships. Some are caregivers fighting against illnesses and diseases that claim body and mind. Some are young widows raising their children. These heroes don’t throw tiaras to knock the weapon from the hand of the obstacles in front of them. Their superpowers and weapons are love, compassion, kindness and perseverance.

I know heroes who have captured my admiration. A friend is caring for her husband who has Alzheimer’s. She awakens to a new world every day, never knowing if her husband will try to drive or wander away, or even if he knows her. Another friend is facing an overwhelming trial caring for her mother who is bedridden with ill health and mind. The toll is taken not just on the patient but more so on the caregiver. Another friend is a young widow with three teenage daughters. She has devoted her life to raising her girls. I watch in amazement as she maintains and teaches them life skills and gives them spiritual guidance in preparation for their future. These are just a few among many who have my utmost respect. I’m sure they have all questioned if they have made right choices, yet they made their decisions based on the need of the moment. They learn to laugh to keep from crying. They put on their “big girl panties”, dig in their heels and do what they must. 

You may well be a hero to someone who needs a champion. Just an ounce of kindness toward someone can lift the weight of the world from their shoulders. A gentleman stopped by my desk one day to tell me the story of a young man who was his hero. The gentleman had every intention of taking his own life. He had pulled off the road in a remote location and contemplated his suicide when a young man stopped and began talking with him. He offered words of encouragement and prayed with the older man. That one simple act gave hope to someone who had nothing to live for. Years later, this gentleman still thanked his hero for saving his life.

You may not wear a cape and fly faster than a speeding bullet, but with just a single act of kindness you might just be someone’s hero.

“Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”

stay tuned for Sequels to Heroes