Hero

We all grow up with a different picture of who our hero is. Some think a hero might be a mythical creature like Hercules or maybe a fairy god-mother lurking around the corner. As a child my hero was someone who had super powers and can do just about anything, when you think about that's how many of us see God to be. As we grow and mature, the characteristics to our own personal hero change and form an image of either someone we want to be like or someone we know we can never measure up to.

As we grow and mature, the characteristics of our own personal hero change and form an image of either someone we want to be like or someone we know we can never measure up to. Growing up in a third-world country, our adult heroes tended to be more realistic. I consider myself to be an old-school soul, me hero is not an actor, singer, politician, doctor, or even a saint. My hero is someone who knows what it is to sacrifice, love, hate, and make mistakes. My image of a hero is neither perfect, nor omnipotent, he is not a president, nor a world renounced brain surgeon, but he is a gentle creature. My image of a hero now relies mostly on what we can a fallible human.

A fallible human is one that will give when it hurts, realizes the situation, but never once regret that he's given. A hero to me, is one who will get angry, yell, but forgets the next morning, and offers unlimited forgiveness. I realize that these characteristics seen to be unintuitive, against what natural selection would lead us to do. However, that's what makes that fallible person an even greater hero.

My hero resembles the Bible's Job, he lost all, and what little he had, he gave. He wakes up in the morning, greets his maker, and from his first waking moment feels physical pain that he knows will last till the end of his days. Yet, because of his children he grins and bears it. I beg you not to misunderstand his personality, he is neither a happy go luck character or one who smiles often these days. His conversations if not scientifically based, are what we would call boring and short. On his bad days, he'll grumble and swear just the rest of us, but what separates him from me, is that throughout the pain, misery, and agony he is still willing to put himself last and give everything within his reach.

We think of mother Teresa, and say by society's standards, she's a hero. Her character is one who always smile, gave, and unconditionally loved. However, very few of her kind truly exist, and to live my such morals and values is truly a gift from God that is hard earned. However, many of us are not like that, and in my view having to break our natural selfish instincts is what makes us a hero.

So, as you can see, to be a hero you don't have to be able to fly, or do magic, nor must you give your life to the poor and fighting against AIDS. To me a hero, can be someone walking down the street running late for work, or someone who is making their kids dinner after a eight hour shift. Anyone can be a hero, but very few choose to be.