Heroism

I think heroism is so very important and so terribly misconstrued in our society. Usually the word "hero" is just a tag-along descriptive of something having to do with a sports figure or a cartoon character. I realized I hadn't really thought about this to the point of writing an appropriate "list" on my profile. Although I believe few people actually read profiles; I still felt it necessary to put a little time into it and clear things up in my own mind and to my friends who take the time to read my profile and blogs.

I've noticed that a lot of Christians list God as their hero; I did not. Not because I don't believe in His existence; but, because my Christian beliefs can't be described by just tacking a simple label on something so far beyond human comprehension that it can't be described with one word. As always, your comments are welcome.

In my opinion "hero" is BIG word with FEW letters. Seeking a better understanding of it, I drifted off to Wikipedia to see how they defined it, only to discover that the majority of their references were to the Greek Gods/Goddesses … lol … go figure … In all my searching, and life experiences (for what they're worth), here is a definition I feel somewhat comfortable with:

A hero and/or heroine refer(s) to characters that, in the face of danger and adversity or from a position of weakness, display courage and self-sacrifice for the greater good of humanity. They act as a protector, defender, or guardian selflessly.

I haven't found many people who fit this definition, other than: mothers (those of you who aren't one won't understand so I won't elaborate here; although, I'll likely post a blog soon so feel free to subscribe if you'd like to see it); our military men and women who leave their families behind with some vain hope that our society will benefit in the never-ending battle of good vs. evil; firefighters who run into burning buildings sacrificing, not only their lives, but also those who love them and hold them dear; and some police officers who yield their power in an appropriate way to benefit society at large rather than just nurturing their egos strutting around with a gun on their hips as if they were gods.

My dad is my ultimate hero, my children who have unknowingly been through hell believing it's a state of normalcy all people endure, but keep landing on their feet (quite literally) nonetheless, my friend Marlee who always stands up for what she believes in and deployed in January to an unknown location for the next eighteen-months, and others … well, I hope to meet them along the way; at least as long as I'm free to roam this place called Earth.