Heroes

The other day while listening to my professor speak of one of his heroes, Kurt Vonnegut, it got me thinking about my heroes and what the word hero actually means. We all know about Superman and Spider-Man, but those are super heroes. Not the everyday heroes that can go overlooked. For many of us heroes come in the form of parents, grandparents, teachers, and it goes on. Normally, they are people who have been close to your life in some way, shape, or form. I believe that heroes must alter or affect our life in some way to be rightfully deemed a hero.

I think now, after 9/11, most people would undoubtedly say that firemen and service men like them, are heroes. A fair statement. I also believe that a hero is one who does not acknowledge or accept the fact that they are a hero. You would be hard pressed to find a fire fighter after 9/11 who agreed with the fact that they were a hero. They would most likely tell you that they were "just doing their job." There is also that sense that these individuals are not trying to be a hero. Listening to interviews, I have decided that people just want to help other people. They don't say, "I went into that burning building just so I could be called a hero and get a medal." I hope that I would be a person who would go in that burning building to help someone else just because they needed help.

So I ask you all to think about who your heroes are, why they are your heroes, and if you feel like you are living your life in a way that is heroic. I think if we all strive to be everyday heroes, people would be better off. The main thing is don't try too hard, listen to your instincts, understand what your conscience is telling you, and try to stay off the wrong side of the road. Finally, if you are ever in that unique situation in which you are the hero, take it like a hero, humbly, graciously, and respectfully.