Heroes . . .

We look up to our heroes. They set examples we can follow. When times get rough, heroes take the positive side. They help us to have the strength to carry on.

We tend look at heroes from a distance. We never really see the pain in their own lives because they are too busy helping to remove pain from ours. When the time comes for them to share with us just what they have gone through, their experiences often tax the imagination.

Tears, grieving, and sadness are often evoked by knowing what had happened. Yet it is not a depressive type of sadness. The hero’s understanding, reassurance, and optimism replace the negative feelings. Heroes can turn the darkest of days into bright and shining ones.

Our heroes are with us always. They show that we can—and how we can—experiment until we make the right decisions. If we give them just a little chance to show they care, heroes can change our lives forever.

Just what is a hero? A hero is someone who takes responsibility for and charge of his/her own life. A hero is someone who never gives up. A hero is someone who can see the good in everything that happens, even if it seems bad at the time—no matter how bad it seems—who understands that "God works to the good with those who love Him."

We as humans make mistakes. A hero is willing to give us a second chance. Forgiveness is a prime value.

A hero always stands ready to help and stand by others, to serve others. One such Hero once said, "Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends." This means more than dying for another; this means setting aside one’s life, however temporarily, to lend aid to a friend. And a hero’s friends are plentiful—the hero knows that we all can use that helping hand. This includes him/herself, for the hero also has the humility to accept a hand when needed.

Such a hero can be you.

You are a creature of choice. You can choose to allow your problems, your sorrows and pains, to bring you down, or you can choose to use them to emerge as a new, beautiful creature, like a butterfly from its cocoon. You can make a difference in your own life and in the lives of others.

No matter what you have gone through, there is definitely a hero inside you. What better hero, then, is there to have than yourself? All you need to do is to make your own those attributes you so admire.

Think about it. Then pass it on—with love.