I generally write my blogs many weeks in advance. On the day that I wrote this essay it was the Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday and much of the United States was in a state of deep freeze. I can’t seem to think of anything or anyone on MLK day but the great man who became a powerful voice of the Civil Rights movement. He was and always will be a hero to me. I cry with the same emotions of remembrance and gratitude for him that I feel for Abraham Lincoln and more personally for my parents, family members and beloved friends who had such great influence in forming me as the person that I am.
My heroes are not perfect. Even Jesus had his moments of anger and doubt. So too did Dr. King, but that is what makes his life even more incredible. It is in overcoming our shortcomings to achieve a personal goal or to live a meaningful life that the measure of our character is most visible. Dr. King had a gift for speaking on behalf of people whose suffering defines some of the darkest sins of our nation. He spoke with resolve with his mesmerizing voice and brilliantly chosen words. He was a spiritual man, a minister who somehow understood that each of us is called to use the talents that we have for the betterment of humankind. In spite of moments of doubt and even fear he persisted in reminding us over and over again of our duty to live in peace and love together.
I sometimes wonder what Martin Luther King and Abraham Lincoln would think of how we continue to quibble and fight with each other in today’s world. They both longed for harmony and peace on this earth but understood that there could be no equivocation or compromise when it came to defending the rights of each individual to live a life of dignity and freedom. Such insistence on being moral often lead critics to point out their flaw, using them as weapons to undermine their messages. So it often is with heroes who place their reputations and even their lives on the line in a quest to do what they believe is right.
Because heroes are not gods even the ancient Greeks understood that they would at times fail miserably. The measure of courage and moral fortitude of any person should be taken in the most challenging moments when they choose to take the righteous path in spite of their own human failings. Such incredible individuals are the kind of people who rise to a momentous occasion just when they are needed. A true hero may be the principal of a high school who risks his life attempting to save his students during a school shooting. We might see incredible bravery from a young girl who stands up to her peers and challenges them to do the right thing in a scandalous situation. We always remember the neighbor who uses his fishing boat to rescue strangers from the rising waters of a flood. We honor the young man who loses his life defending a woman being beaten by her abusive partner.
Heroes abound among us and in most cases they are as imperfect as any one of us, but in a critical moment they find the courage to face danger. Something inside of their very souls compels them to overcome their fears even if it means dodging both literal and figurative bullets. While others turn away or even hide, they step forward to remind us that greatness and goodness stills abounds among us.
Heroes are not always understood or celebrated. They confront truths that we sometimes do not want to see or hear. They risk their reputations and their lives when they choose to step forward, especially if their actions or words are controversial. It is a quirk of our natures not to want to hear unpleasant truths. We would rather poke fun at the young girl who warns us about the perils of climate change. We accuse a young man advocating for gun control after a mass shooting in his school of being an out of touch coward. We tend to feel uncomfortable with people who note that “the emperor has no clothes.” We prefer instead to ignore or even defend faulty thinking that hurts vast swathes of people.
The heroes of fairytales and fables were created as a way of teaching children how to be moral adults. The parables and teachings of Jesus were meant to show us how we should live with one another. Still, we have to be careful not to idolize false heroes who also lurk among us. If we watch them closely we will see and hear the evidence that their showboating is not for the purpose of helping anyone but themselves. Such fakers are also part of our history. They are the antithesis of a true hero because their causes are meant to limit rather than to expand the possibilities and freedoms of all people. They pretend to be heroes only to enrich themselves.
So today as I write I am feeling quite pensive. i remember the words of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and share his dream of a world in which we no longer draw conclusions about people based on shallow estimates of their worth. Each of us is wonderful and special and so much more than the color of our skin or the place where we were born. We can and should rise above our imperfections and find the spark of heroism that lies inside of our souls. The time will surely come when we need to use our courage for the true betterment of someone’s life. Each of us can become a hero as long as we answer the call in the moment when we are needed.
All It Takes Is A Little Love 