As the year winds down, I like to re-group and focus on who my heroes (and heroines,) are this year. Two definitions of hero are: “One who shows great courage”, and “A man/woman admired for his/her achievements and noble qualities.”
It goes without saying that soldiers, fire fighters, and first responders perform heroic acts almost every day of their life. The same goes for the admirable men and women who care for the sick and elderly – these jobs demand a very special kind of hero. There is, however, another kind of hero – what I call a “personal” hero, who might be within your closest circle of family friends. Someone whose personal story is only known to your and a handful of others. within your intimate circle of family and friends. Maybe you are a hero, too! Have you had to walk through fire this year?
A number of people whom I consider to be heroes – actually heroines, are women I know who, for one reason or another, have been bought to their knees. They’ve become heroines in my eyes, because they’ve picked themselves up, dusted themselves down, and become stronger as a result. These stories keep my sometimes flickering flame of hope, burning bright.
The past couple of years have been very tough on many families throughout the country. I have seen so many acts of courage in and around my community this year. A great friend has had to endure 3 years of unemployment. I have seen this man deal with this indignity and difficulty with so much courage. He spent the better part of everyday figuring out how he could be of service to everyone around him. Thank Goodness, he just got a job – but watching how he dealt with hardship, gave me hope.
Yes – that’s the thing, right? Heroes give us hope – that we, too, might be able to rise triumphantly above the painful times in our lives (which are bound to happen at one time or another,) – they lead the way for us. I loved reading the stories of CNN’s top heroes of 2012 – makes me realize how many good people there are out there. We typically only hear about sick, evil and disturbed members of society because it makes good news. Their foul acts and stores are blasted into our living rooms daily. However, I think it’s vital to realize that there are so many more good apples out there, than bad. We’re actually surrounded by loving, courageous people – even if we don’t realize it. They are there – lurking in our communities. If we go out into our day expecting to find some of them, we always will.
Remember, what you focus on increases – it’s a spiritual law. So, this Holiday season, why not focus on the millions of Americans who put other people in front of themselves – the unsung heroes that we can all aspire to be. Do you have any personal heroes or stories of courage that you can share with us?
