The World Needs A Hero!

Today is Hero Appreciation Day!  Around here, we hear a lot about heroes.  Actually, we mostly hear about one hero in particular.  "The World Needs a Hero. I Am That Hero.  They Call Me Larryboy! Wherever There Is Trouble, I'll Be There!  When Vegetables Call Out, I Will Answer! Evildoers Beware.  You are no match for me and my Super Suction Ears!"  Isaac knows the whole thing and will randomly recite this heroic Veggie Tale mantra.

I have spent the weekend thinking of heroes and their defining characteristics.  The heroes that matter most are the ones who would rather not be heroes.  They have no superpowers nor amazing abilities.  They have no absurd sense of ego or hubris.  They have ordinary eyes, ordinary resources and ordinary strength.  Their only real heroic quality is their understanding.

A real life extraordinary hero has not blinded himself to the needs of those around him.  A hero looks around and sees what must be done....and does it.  A hero does not promote himself.  How can he when that would waste time?  Time must be spent on what matters.  Time and resources and strength must be given to helping, to healing, to doing what you can because you can.

Heroes aren't born on Krypton. They aren't bitten by radioactive spiders.  They are those who cannot stand by and watch others suffer.  Heroes have displayed the super ability to push out of a narcissistic bubble and see and react to the needs of those around them.  This type of hero astounds our modern age much more than a fictitious one.  Whenever it is discovered that someone has acted in a truly unselfish way that has helped his community, the media descend and ask "Why did you help?"  The hero looks confused.  Truthfully, he looks a bit dense.  He slowly answers,  "Because I could.  Anybody would have done the same thing."

A hero doesn't expect thanks.  A hero wants more than that.  A hero wants action.  A hero expects us to be heroic too.  Listen to his words, "Anybody would have done the same thing."  A hero calls us to be heroic.

Think of the heroes around you.  Think of those that unselfishly offer kindness and love.  Think of those that see a job that needs doing and rise to meet its challenge.  Think of those that stand up to responsibility not for grandeur of accolades but because they have appropriately owned the responsibility to care and to love and to help those around themselves.

Think of the heroes that have touched your life.  Honor them by embracing who they are and what they stand for.  The world needs more ordinary heroes.  Go be that hero.  Tights are optional.