February 24, 2011

Heroes Among Us

So many among us are heroes. 

A soldier leaves his or her family. Courageously, they face enemies. Enemies that we will never have to fear, for they have conquered that fear for us. So few, defending the freedom of so many. We owe you~ Heroes

A paramedic  arrives on the scene of an accident. In what is a last breath, all is forgotten by this healer, except saving the life of this mother, this father, this child. In this moment, life is delivered... rebirth~ Heroes


A firefighter braves the heat, the danger, the flames ..  to pull a family to safety. No thought of harm to themselves given~ Heroes


Individuals and even communities pull together after devastating events to feed the hungry, rebuild homes and comfort those in need. Such kindness and compassion~ Heroes


We owe so much to so many. They stand out in a crowd. Our hearts swell with pride for them. Awards are given, medals received. Such honor is due~ Heroes

There are so many that are worthy of our praise. The giving of themselves and their lives.. profound. The beauty in their actions.. evident.

Yet, in the shadows lies a different beauty. Another hero, one that is usually missed by us all. In this darkness, struggles are faced by some that we cannot fathom. 

Unknown to us .. this hero's battle begins the moment their eyes open to meet the dawn. Stark realities of the hours ahead crowd their mind.  Beauty in facing this day~ Heroes


Unknown to us .. the decisions facing the man that stepped into our path today causing us to slow. We are indifferent to the cause of his distraction. Choices to be made by him this day, where seemingly, there is no right choice. Beauty in facing this decision~ Heroes


Unknown to us .. the stress faced by the lady that just hurried by. We are unaware that her mind is occupied with thoughts of how she will overcome the many obstacles ahead to fulfill her dreams. A lifetime of struggles, she has already overcame. Beauty in facing these struggles~ Heroes

On this day, choose to search the shadows for the unknown heroes. With a kind smile, you lift their spirits. With a knowing look,  they feel they are not alone. With a simple 'thank you', they are appreciated.

In a single moment, YOU have become the hero.

~ searching for beauty where most fail to notice
~ inspired by my greatest hero, my sister