Humans & Heroes
For most of my life, I’ve wanted to be a hero. You know…the one who saved the day. I envisioned myself fighting evil villains, saving people in the nick of time, and secretly using my powers to give the underdog an advantage.
I learned quickly that, though I hope to be ready for those valiant moments, they rarely happen.
So, I tried my hand at simply helping anyone at anytime – doing what I can do. It worked fairly well. I gained favor, got invited to several work parties, and people thought I was the “Nicest. Guy. Ever.”
That seemed fine until an honest realization surfaced: I wasn’t actually paying attention to people. I was just doing things for them. My acts of service were a mask for who I am (or who I’m not). I was helping because I didn’t think I was a good enough hero, not necessarily because I truly cared for the person across from me. Helping was just a way to feel good.
[Yeah. I said it.]
Heroism is honorable, but it has its downsides. Thankfully, I’m not a hero. I’m just an ordinary guy and, sometimes I’m the one who needs to be saved.
I think that makes me human. And the more human I am, the more I can honestly relate to who you are and the better the person I can be to and with you.
Sometimes we do need heroes. But, mostly, we just need humans.