“A hero - one of those men who goes into battle.” -Norman Schwarzkopf
No disrespect to the General, but this quote - wrong. Society puts emphasis on being a hero based on physical ability, number of times one has been sent overseas to war, the number of lives someone has saved in a crisis - but there’s so much more to it. Heroes may not have a cape, wear a crown, be in a history book or have their face plastered on the side of buildings but they’re everywhere.
Walking down the hallway in a crowded building, dodging awkward physical contact with strangers, looking around the area there’s a two people who stand out. A man and a lad.
In the lunchroom at a busy school, kids making their way to their tables on the first day of school. Two people stand out in the crowd. A girl sitting alone and a boy with his clique.
A windy day in a windy city, business “monkeys” walking the streets during their morning commute. Two people stand out in the crowd. A man with an open briefcase and a women.
A less than average McDonalds in a small town. Three people stand out in the lobby. A women, her child, and the clerk.
The lad held the door open for the crippled old man. The boy invited the girl to sit with him at lunch. The woman took 5 minutes of her day to help the man pick up his papers. The clerk paid for the women when she couldn’t make her bill.
To think all of these men and women aren’t heroes is prosperous. The races, ages, and professions of all of people have nothing to do with heroism. The gender, even though revealed, wouldn’t make a difference either.
Heroism doesn’t always mean there has to be a battle. A hero is simply a person who puts someone else before them. Whether in the idea of putting their life on the line to fight for America's freedom or the simple gesture of holding a door open for someone.
