Heroes

I have been fortunate to have many heroes in my life.  Real-life, touchable, familiar heroes: members of my family that I admired for a variety of reasons, teachers I worshipped, friends who displayed strength I envied, work colleagues who set the bar high and made me reach higher than I would otherwise have done.

I've met colleagues in my profession that I would have given my eye teeth to BE; they inspired me to hone my professional skills and develop a pride and self-confidence in my professional life that I otherwise may not have had.   I've had friends who balanced the impossible and made it look almost effortless; they helped me put my life in perspective and recognize and appreciate what I had.  I've grown up around family members who lived the nightmare of having their lives torn apart by the atrocities of war, who subsequently - against all odds - rebuilt their lives and made it possible for their children to not only live well, but to be able to live their dreams.

As an adult, I've been known to say: "when I grow up, I want to be like....", because I figure I still have lots of learning and growing to do.  I've also been known to lament the existence of current-day heroes every time another well-known sports figure, actor, or politician goes  down in flames for their misdeeds. It's been heartwarming to read and hear some of the stories of absolute selflessness in the wake of Sandy. It's served as a reminder that not only are prominent figures heroes, but more often ordinary, everyday folks fit the definition more closely.  The doctors who are able to pull family members back from the brink....the friends who move heaven and earth to be there for us when we need them...the neighbors who share their firewood, their blankets, their homes.  

I know that many would not consider those ordinary actions "heroic", but I also know that those on the receiving end often do consider them exactly that.