On Everyday Heroes

What is a hero?

Merriam-Webster defines it:

a : a mythological or legendary figure often of divine descent endowed with great strength or ability

b : an illustrious warrior

c : a man admired for his achievements and noble qualities

d : one who shows great courage

2 a : the principal male character in a literary or dramatic work

b : the central figure in an event, period, or movement

3 : an object of extreme admiration and devotion : idol

For this particular post I will focus only on the first definition A-D.

All too often people forget heroes aren't mythological, and they're not endowed with great strength (and sometimes not even ability). They're not all warriors, and many times they're not admired for their achievements and noble qualities. Sometimes a true hero isn't even courageous.

They're human.

They're imperfect.

They're as normal as an ordinary citizen.

Don't get me wrong, I'm the wife of a Marine so I fully believe all of the above are accurate descriptions of a Hero, because to me, my husband and the other military members who serve our country are all Heroes. I also believe any person who chooses a career that puts the common good above that of themselves, is a Hero.

Every teacher who does their best to educate the next generation; every doctor, nurse, and EMT; every Police officer, and Fire Fighter--they're all heroes in my book, but they're not who I'm focusing on either.

Today I'm focusing on the Everyday Hero. The person who will never get recognition for their actions, because they're not running into a burning building, or fighting for our Freedom.

The mother who kisses her child's scratched knee; the father who tosses a ball with his son; the college student who finds a wallet full of cash on the ground and returns the wallet and its contents to the owner; the dog that gives the wheelchair bound man love; the girl who teaches her little sister how to braid her hair, or the older brother who protects his little brother from bullies--these people are all Heroes.

There are hundreds--thousands of ways to be a Hero in a person's life.

Are there Heroes in your life? Don't you think it's time they got recognition?

My dear friend has created this blog (www.theeverydayextraordinary.com) specifically to recognize the extraordinary people in our everyday lives. Take a few minutes to check out the blog, and show your appreciation for those unsung Heroes in your life.

R.S.