Heroes

 

 

I am not a flag waving kind of person. My patriotism is a very personal and private thing for me. I have too much respect for our flag to treat it frivolously, salaciously, or manipulatively. I have never even flown a flag at my home because I was concerned that, with my kind of schedule, I couldn't give it the respect and care that it deserves.

I am also not a huge fan of war nor do I elevate our service people to the level of celebrity or worship as many do. I do, however, have a deep respect for the danger in which they place themselves for what we call service to our country. For that act alone, they are heroes in my book. 

I feel that way about all of our first responders, paramedics, police officers, firefighters et cetera. They are, in their own way and in their own time, heroes. However, so are our teachers, nurses, doctors, and all of our essential employees and in fact everyone is a hero to someone.

In my everyday walk often I'll smile at someone doing a job that impacts my life in some way, be they a convenience store clerk, fast food employee, customer service rep, or whatever and say to them, "you're my hero!" They always brighten up and flash a genuine humble smile. In that moment, with those simple words, you give acknowledgement to their lives, their worth, and their seen and or unseen struggles. You are saying to them that, "I see you. I value you. I appreciate you." 

We all have the opportunity to be, and indeed are, everyday heroes within the scope of our lives. Not everyday or in every way but all of us are at times heroic and make a difference to one another. 

I find it telling and deeply disturbing that our President speaks the way he does about people. I hate the name calling. I hate the belittling. I hate the divisiveness. I hate the casual brutality of his constant dismissiveness of anything that doesn't serve his ego, image, or agenda. I hate his presidency for what it has done to our society socially, psychologically, and spiritually.  Be that as it may, even he, the 45th President of the United States is a hero to many and that, my friend, is something that we need to acknowledge, try to understand, and wrestle with.