Heroes?

I recently had an email conversation with a friend who is working with an organization that supplies food to third world countries. Jokingly, I called him a ‘hero’. He (kindly) told me that he was uncomfortable with the term ‘hero’. As he sees it, he’s simply doing his job. That made me stop and think. What makes a hero? Who are my own heroes and why? Putting some real thought into it, I realized that I’ve had several heroes in my life and to me, they all deserved the title.

One of my dearest childhood friends is battling cancer right now…and winning. That makes her a hero to me. In Grade 11 I had a wonderful history teacher who was nice, fair and a really good teacher. He made learning fun and I loved his classes. He was a hero for me. When I was very young, my friend’s father was a hero to me. He showed me kindness that I didn’t get at home. He was an adult but treated me kindly. That made him a hero to me.

Not all heroes wear capes and jump buildings in a single bound. I think that the everyday heroes, who do good things, can be personal heroes. And sometimes, that counts more than stopping bullets or flying through the air.

I appreciate all of the people who, throughout the course of my life, have been my heroes. They made and are still making a difference in people’s lives. That counts for much in my books. So maybe they’re not heroes in the traditional sense of the word but they remain my heroes. And I’m grateful to each and every one of them.

Here’s to the everyday heroes who make a difference in our lives.

.