On: Jimmy's World

* This was meant to go out at 0600 Friday, but some how I forgot to actually publish it. I blame pregnancy brain.

I don't know if many of you ever read the article "Jimmy's World", in the Washington Post on September 28, 1980. It won a Pulitzer Prize, that was later returned when the truth of the article came to light. Click here for the article.

Maybe it’s because I write fiction myself that the first half of the article actually sounded like the beginning of a story, not of an article in a well respected newspaper. The details were too flowery for me to not question the legitimacy of it. I’m not saying journalist don’t have a way with words, but there tends to be a more clinical feel to every article I’ve ever read. 

Whereas, a lot of people wouldn’t believe it, because the thought of a child being shot up by an adult, and none of the adults doing anything about it, seems too horrible and farfetched, that isn’t what rings false for me. Granted, that could be, because I’ve seen the track marks first hand on a child who was much younger than eight (the daughter of a neighbor who, thanks to police intervention no longer has access to the poor child). This world is a horrible and terrifying place a lot of the time.

Which does bring me to another thing I found questionable, and had I not already suspected the article of being a mostly well done work of fiction, would have made me (especially if I was an editor) wonder about the authenticity of the article. Where was the police intervention? Where was the school or CPS? I realize in the 80’s things weren’t like they are now, but even then, as a child in San Diego, I remember my teacher showing up on my doorstep with my homework when I missed more than one day of class.  

What are you thoughts and insights into this article? I'd love to know. 

R.S.

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.