Everyday Heroes: How Many Do You Know?

... What is a hero? A hero is someone who has done something beyond what is expected to benefit the life of someone else. Being a hero doesn't always mean putting yourself in a dangerous situation to rescue somebody else. It can be as simple as teaching a struggling child how to read or sweeping broken glass off a neglected playground. You're a hero in your school if you speak out against racist remarks or tell a teacher if you know someone is selling drugs or carrying a gun.

You are a hero if you take away the car keys from a friend who is drunk. And you are most definitely a hero if you refuse to keep a secret about somebody who is in danger of hurting himself or of being hurt by someone else.

Chances are that many of you who are reading these words will recognize that you have already done something heroic in your lives. It's OK to feel proud of yourselves. In fact, get excited! This is only the beginning of how you will make a positive difference in the world.

It occurred to me one day that I am so lucky to be surrounded by heroes at the children's medical center where I work. I see heroes in the form of doctors and nurses and other staff, including secretaries and social workers and security guards. But guess what? I also see heroes in the form of caring volunteers, some of them teen-agers, and in the form of devoted parents — who sometimes seem to find a superhuman energy in themselves that they didn't even know they had.

And best of all, I see amazing little heroes, not in capes, but in hospital gowns.

These littlest of all heroes teach me a lot about bravery and the power of a sweet, innocent smile — which has more magic in it than all of the vampire-slayers in the entire universe!

There are endless opportunities for you to shake a hero's hand . . . or to be one. And sometimes, making a difference can actually be a lot of fun.

So . . . look around you. Or better yet, look in the mirror. Would you recognize the face of an everyday hero? (By Cathy Hulbert, MSW)

Join the Seven as our Everyday Heroes deal with the events of daily life and the unexpected twists and turns the world has to offer.

EVERYDAY HEROES

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