When we think of heroes, the most common image is strong, brave men and women in flowing capes and spandex. Just try Googling “superhero.” When did we determine our heroes were fictional and found only on the pages of comic and on the screen of our television? When did we forget that our heroes surround us every day of our lives and quite possibly might be inside of us.
I like a good superhero as much as the next young adult. The idea of saving the world in a suit of armor and walking away with little physical damage does have a certain appeal to it. But what we forget is that we all have our own suits of armor, whether it be our intelligence, wit, humanity, compassion, and so many other positive traits that make up heroes which get forgotten in the flashiness of being a hero. Think of the heroes which we find on our television. For example, Marvel’s Tony Stark, better known as Iron Man. Take away the suit, with all of its advancements, and what remains? To quote the Marvel series, “Genius, billionaire, playboy, philanthropist” (Marvel’s "The Avengers"). But actually under that suit of armor, the character of Tony Stark portrayed in the movie franchise is more than meets the eye. He sees an issue and revolutionizes his company, turning from a weapons development firm to a leader in green energy. In addition to being a business man, he suffers from his own personal demons, but for the most part is able to set them aside for the greater good, in this case, saving and protecting mankind. We have heroes around us like that every day, just maybe not flying around in suits of armor and saving the world on the global level.
Our everyday heroes can be found at the more personal level. Just take a moment to think about anyone you consider a hero. Really think about who your heroes are. After thinking about it, I doubt any of them were Tony Stark or any other Marvel or DC character in existence. I have a feeling they were more on the line of your parents, teachers, firefighters, police officers, members of the military, doctors, nurses, social workers, scientist, or the random person who caught your eye during the day and smiled. Heroes are the individuals who put on their suits of armor and make our world a better place every day, no matter what is going on in their personal lives. Our heroes do not have to have to move mountains. Sometimes, a hero is just there on the right day at the right time. Every person you pass on the street is a hero. Maybe not your hero, but someone’s hero. And even on the days it does not seem like it, you are a hero to someone. Maybe it is to a sibling, a friend, or a complete stranger, but at some point you become a hero.
While we may not all fly around in fancy suits of armor, we have something that makes us a hero to someone out there. Maybe it is your compassion, intelligence, patience, creativity, or willingness to listen which makes you stand out as someone’s hero. No matter what that trait is, it makes up your characters and your superpower. And in reality, that is better than a suit of armor any day. But until you believe in yourself as a hero, take a couple moments today to thank your heroes, no matter how big or small they may be.
