“A hero is an ordinary individual who finds the strength to persevere and endure in spite of overwhelming obstacles.” ~Christopher Reeve

I’ve been thinking a lot lately about heroes. There’s an abundance of inspirational news (if you look for the positives) about the nurses, doctors, first responders, police etc being our heroes in this insane world of the Covid -19 pandemic. They are heroes, their actions in the face of such adversity is nothing less than heroic. There is also a lot of recognition of the truck drivers, grocery store workers, sanitation workers, delivery persons etc who are also heroes for showing up and going to work. In my opinion, there are many heroes and although it is correct and amazing to recognize a particular group, it should not minimize what each and everyone of us who are living life every day, to the best of our ability does.

There is a catch phrase that goes – “Not all heroes wear capes.” It is true. There are every day heroes and heroes that make some of us pause, and get that weird catchy feeling in their throat. “I am not crying you are” kind of feeling. We should all be kind, we should all say please and thank you. Maybe the good that comes out of all of this is not to alienate us from one another to say one person’s occupation is more valuable than another’s, is just to acknowledge, or my favorite term VALIDATE, that we all have value that needs to be recognized and maybe we can make it a part of every day life, not just crisis life.

This essay is not meant to diminish in any way shape or form the recognition that each and every person who is trying to manage life right now, those who are on the front lines, and those who are supporting those on the front lines, deserves.

“Heroes represent the best of ourselves, respecting that we are human beings. A hero can be anyone from Gandhi to your classroom teacher, anyone who can show courage when faced with a problem. A hero is someone who is willing to help others in his or her best capacity.”

~ Ricky Martin

I’d like to tell you a about a few of my personal heroes. My husband Skip is one for certain. He keeps me grounded more often than I realize no matter what he is going through he is always there for me. He is not perfect, which goes without saying despite the fact that I just said it. He posts an inordinate number of pictures of himself drinking scotch on the internet, and he tells long drawn out stories of his scotch experiences (don’t ask), none the less, he is always there for me, for our children, for our friends and family. He is my hero. (Just don’t tell him I said that.)

It should come as no surprise that my children, daughter in law and grandchildren are heroes to me. They work hard, they are always there to support each other. They make me laugh and fill me with love. They make life worth living. They are smart, and funny and kind. They check in on me every day and brighten my day. I think they love to face time my dogs primarily, but I am OK with that!

My dogs, Harry and Frankie, are NOT my heroes, but they are doing their part to social distance.

“Love is not just a noun, it is a verb—it is an act. It is what you do. It is an energy that, once created, can never be destroyed, but is instead is set forth into the universe in perpetual motion, where it will exist for all of us, always.” ~ Elana Miller

I’m incredibly blessed to have the best of friends and family and acquaintances. I’ve connected with many people who just say hello and how are you doing, just checking in, and many offering to help.

I ‘m not here to preach even though this may seem preachy. Just be kind as you can, be grateful, be generous with what you can. Check in on each other, make time for yourself and stay safe. I’m hoping and if there is room for prayer, praying that we all come out safe and sound and maybe even a little better, though it is not going to be easy. In fact it is going to be hard.

If I can help you in some way, let me know. I’ll do my very best to try to make it happen. Mr Rogers is a wise person, to some a hero.

“When I was very young, most of my childhood heroes wore capes, flew through the air, or picked up buildings with one arm. They were spectacular and got a lot of attention. But as I grew, my heroes changed, so that now I can honestly say that anyone who does anything to help a child is a hero to me.” ~Fred Rogers

Be happy, be well, be kind, be safe, may you be a hero to others and may your life be filled with those who are heroes to you, whether or not they wear capes.