What Does It Mean to Be a Hero?
We often talk about fictional characters with supernatural powers as heroes. Soldiers, firefighters, volunteers are also often called the heroes. But what really is a hero? Does heroism always require the physical strength, or are there other important qualities that define a hero? According to a Meriam-Webster Dictionary, a hero is a person who is greatly admired for great or brave acts or fine qualities. (1) Does that mean that people with outstanding personal qualities who can motivate us and change the world can be considered the heroes? Probably, yes.
A hero can be anyone we look up to. Heroes can be real or fictional, they can be someone we see every day or have met once in our life, they can be male or female, children or grown-ups. When we were young, our heroes were Robin Hood, Batman, Spiderman. Then our moms, dads, grandparents, sisters and brothers and even our pets became our heroes. We become older, more experienced, and our perceptions about heroes change. We start to think that we are surrounded by heroes, in fact. Single mothers who deny themselves food and clothes to send their children to college, couples who adopt children, a person who donates his kidney to save the brother, children who put their careers on hold to take care of their sick parents, people who sacrifice their dreams to support the loved ones, cancer patients who continue to fight for their life – these are the examples of heroes around us. (2)
Heroes motivate us. They can do plenty of different things that inspire and stimulate others to do their best. The heroes make us find and develop our best qualities and share our experience with other people who need it. The motivation is very important for finding strengths within yourself and disclosing the prominent qualities. When we see the Red Cross volunteers, the dangers these men and women face, their extreme courage, we respect them and also want to help others. We decide to join different organizations and become the active volunteers, whether at preserving the wildlife, protecting homeless pets, or fighting with corruption. Heroes motivate us to realize our assets and make our small contribution into the good deeds. Heroes don’t only save us, they help us to save ourselves.
Heroes change the world. They love the feeling to help other people and try not to miss the opportunity to be useful and sympathetic. Heroes make sacrifices for others, no matter small or enormous ones. Very often they are not prepared for what they would experience, but always make the right and decent decisions, even in the most difficult and confusing situations. That is the main reason why they receive the respect, recognition and support for their future great deals. You also can be a hero for someone. It’s not difficult – help someone in need, defend the moral principles, be reliable and sympathetic, join the useful activities, do your best to realize your passions and follow your heart. Maybe one day someone will call you his hero.
There are more heroes around us than we think. To find them, look at your parents, neighbours and friends. You’ll find that they are great people who make sacrifices for others, use their courage to deal with the harsh realities of the modern life, don’t lose their humanity when facing challenges and always ready to help if you need. Sometimes we don’t even know about the great deeds of all those people, as heroes don’t like to share their stories. Look around and you’ll probably find your hero.
References:
1. http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hero
2. https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/happiness-in-world/201009/what-makes-hero