I have found that the superheroes of the world are not the bigger than life celebrities that blast through speakers or the people on TV every day. They are rather the everyday people that we pass on the street, the people who put dinner on the table, the people who stand at the front of the classroom.

My mother is a superhero. She fought to put food on the table for me and my brothers after a nasty divorce. She put all her own wants to the side to look out for any opportunities that would put us kids higher than where statistics said we were. She is there to catch us when we fall and is there to watch us when we fly. She has given us everything and more.

My stepfather is a superhero. Rather than fill my father's ugly shoes, he has made his own mold in my life and has created something beautiful. He is there for me in every way that my father hasn't been. He is there to mend my heart when it breaks. He has been there to take silly prom pictures where he pretends to scare off my date. He is there to put food on the table and provide for me and my family. He is there to protect us and to guide us, and I could not ask for a better superhero for a dad.

My high school teachers were superheroes. They fought for what they believed in, teaching children valuable lessons to take into the real world since they couldn't teach them how to do their taxes. My choir teacher taught us to love and acceptance. My English teachers taught us wisdom and tolerance. My history teachers taught us that ignorance is not bliss and to listen with an open mind, but to also stand our ground. My gym teachers taught us perseverance and determination. My math and science teachers taught us logic and reasoning. They all shaped us into who we are today, and we can't thank them enough.

My college professors are superheroes. They have helped me see the world in a new light and from different angles. One English professor taught me to notice small things in the world as well as how to write poetry, both turning out to be very therapeutic. Another English professor taught me how important it is to connect literature to the real world and how relevant it is to the times and what we can learn from classic books. My philosophy professor taught me to see the art in everything and wonder what it is exactly that makes things so appealing to certain senses. My history professor taught me to look at trends in history and how important it is to not let history repeat itself (even though it already is--read up on history to find out how). Some may say these things are foolish to spend time and money learning these things, but I feel that they make me a more well-rounded person, and these superheroes are part of the reason for my success and happiness, and I have all the more reason to thank them.

I see superheroes everywhere--they're not that hard to find. Now I ask you to go out and find your superheroes.