Heroes


Photo by Joey Nicotra on Unsplash

Have you seen the new “Avengers” movie yet? I have and it was amazing! I'm glad I was able to wade through the swamp of internet trolls, trailers, and memes without falling afoul of any spoilers before finally plopping down in the theater. I can't help but wonder though, just what is a hero?

After spending nearly three hours watching Captain America, IronMan, Dr. Strange, StarLord and others gallivant on screen in their desperate attempt to save the world as they know it the question has crossed my mind. You see we often think of heroes in exactly this way, larger than life figures who do incredible things at incredible times for incredible reasons. Giants among men or supreme examples of courage and honor or sacrifice. But would you ever look at yourself and consider yourself a hero? Probably not.

I think that really being a hero is not about what exactly you did or do and it's certainly not about having a snazzy high-tech suit of armor. I don't think being a hero is something we can be to ourselves, we can only be a hero in the eyes of another.

Forget, for a moment, all the flashy costumed characters from the silver screen and instead let your mind recall the people in your life that have shaped you as a person. Actually these may still be the fictional heroes we all love, to be honest. The point is that a hero is not necessarily someone who does something for the world, maybe just for one person. Maybe just for you.

Where do you get your sense of honor from? What drives you to be a better person, to be more disciplined, to be more selfless, to be....more? More likely than not the answer to that question is not an idea or a principle, it's a person. Maybe your father or mother, perhaps your grandfather or a family friend. Did you have a teacher who really supported and encouraged you? Did your music instructor push you farther than you thought you could go? What about that boss who showed what it was like to really lead or a friend who showed what it was like to really live?

Photo by Patrick Fore on Unsplash

Our heroes don't often wear capes (or armor, or shields, or purple shorts) but that doesn't make them any less spectacular. The people that we meet on any given day have the potential to have a profound effect on who we are and who we become. Furthermore, we have just as much potential to affect the lives of those around us.

I may not have a bat symbol on my chest (well, actually I do at the moment. I love Batman!) but I can still be a hero to my wife, my family, my friends. I can choose to love and to live in such a way as to inspire others and nudge them toward being not only a better person but a better version of themselves. We all can.

It's a rough world out there and we all need a little inspiration every now and again.

Be heroic.

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