So I have been thinking about this quite a bit since the Micheal Phelps incident. Talking with a coworker the other day brought it back in the front of my mind. So what does it take to make someone a hero? Is it OK, that so often we classify movie stars and athletes as heroes. Should being famous really be a qualification for hero status?
The conversation I was having with the coworker was about someone stealing Lance Armstrong's bike. I thought it was stupid, stealing is bad enough, but really, Lance's bike. My coworker sort of said good he's and a** anyways (not exact quote, but you get the point). I was shocked, I asked why she didn't like him. Her reasoning was because he broke up with Sheryl Crow when she had breast cancer. For the record. She didn't find out about the cancer until a couple of weeks AFTER the official announcement they had broken up. And that is only one side of the story, and remember there are always two sides. Furthermore, Sheryl Crow came out and said it was a mutual decision, so how does that make him an a**.
Back to Hero's....here are a few of mine.....
--Lance Armstrong.....He is conceited, he is egotistical, but he is a champion in every sense of the word. He didn't whine about his lot in life, he didn't expect anyone else to fix it for him. He looked cancer in the eye and kicked the crap out of it.
--LeBron James.....He also happens to be my husband in my dreams. Even though I did cheat on him with Delonte West a couple of months ago (but that's another story). I don't live all that far away from where LeBron grew up, or where his house is now, talk about night and day. Once again, he didn't complain about his childhood, he didn't place blame or point fingers. But he knew he wasn't going to settle for that life forever. He has a talent, he figured it out early on, and he has used every opportunity he was given to make things different. He's 24 and he makes like 80 trillion dollars a year. Good for you!!!!
--My Dad....He grew up in unthinkable conditions. Poor, abusive, dirty, unsanitary conditions. And he worked his butt off to get out of it. I have watched him sacrifice his safety and well being in order to help a complete stranger in need. We never had alot of money when I was younger, but every summer my dad led his family in a service project for a family or organization in need. He worked hard, and sacrificed more. He is now facing Alzheimer's disease, and cancer (for the third time) with dignity and a tremendous faith in God. He gets angry, but has never said "why me". I love and respect him for that most of all.
--David King....Also grew up in what would be considered an abusive environment. Volunteered to serve in Vietnam. Has served in the secret service and as a police officer ever since. He has shown me what it means to forgive. I have seen him forgive others, and he has forgiven me. He has shown me what real courage is. He always steps up to the hard, uncomfortable tasks. He has shown me what it means to have empathy and sympathy. He has seen unthinkable horrors, but has not been hardened by them, his heart still breaks when he sees someone being hurt. He is a living example of what it means to not just talk the talk, but walk the walk. He always has been and always will be the love of my life, my soul mate and best friend.
There are more, but this is getting really long, and talking about the last person is making me cry. I just want to point out one thing....the reason for this entry.....everyone of these people are flawed in some way. They have all made mistakes and bad choices. If you are waiting to find someone who is perfect so you can have a hero.....I hope your comfortable because its going to be a long wait. And it is was my hero Dave who taught me what it means to accept people.....all of them....good and bad. To have hero worship for both the heroic acts and the stupid acts. The point is none of them dwell on the bad, they endure it, learn a lesson, move on and try to do better.
Thanks Dave...I have mad love for you. I love the sweet kind man who loved me when I felt unlovable. I love the man who tells somewhat inappropriate jokes. I love the man that calls me his favorite person. I love the man who gets fed up and loses his temper with his mother. I love the man who whispers to me....usually something that makes me blush. And most of all I love the man who saw the good person inside of me and looked beyond the bad choices and stupid acts and taught me how to become a hero for someone else.
The conversation I was having with the coworker was about someone stealing Lance Armstrong's bike. I thought it was stupid, stealing is bad enough, but really, Lance's bike. My coworker sort of said good he's and a** anyways (not exact quote, but you get the point). I was shocked, I asked why she didn't like him. Her reasoning was because he broke up with Sheryl Crow when she had breast cancer. For the record. She didn't find out about the cancer until a couple of weeks AFTER the official announcement they had broken up. And that is only one side of the story, and remember there are always two sides. Furthermore, Sheryl Crow came out and said it was a mutual decision, so how does that make him an a**.
Back to Hero's....here are a few of mine.....
--Lance Armstrong.....He is conceited, he is egotistical, but he is a champion in every sense of the word. He didn't whine about his lot in life, he didn't expect anyone else to fix it for him. He looked cancer in the eye and kicked the crap out of it.
--LeBron James.....He also happens to be my husband in my dreams. Even though I did cheat on him with Delonte West a couple of months ago (but that's another story). I don't live all that far away from where LeBron grew up, or where his house is now, talk about night and day. Once again, he didn't complain about his childhood, he didn't place blame or point fingers. But he knew he wasn't going to settle for that life forever. He has a talent, he figured it out early on, and he has used every opportunity he was given to make things different. He's 24 and he makes like 80 trillion dollars a year. Good for you!!!!
--My Dad....He grew up in unthinkable conditions. Poor, abusive, dirty, unsanitary conditions. And he worked his butt off to get out of it. I have watched him sacrifice his safety and well being in order to help a complete stranger in need. We never had alot of money when I was younger, but every summer my dad led his family in a service project for a family or organization in need. He worked hard, and sacrificed more. He is now facing Alzheimer's disease, and cancer (for the third time) with dignity and a tremendous faith in God. He gets angry, but has never said "why me". I love and respect him for that most of all.
--David King....Also grew up in what would be considered an abusive environment. Volunteered to serve in Vietnam. Has served in the secret service and as a police officer ever since. He has shown me what it means to forgive. I have seen him forgive others, and he has forgiven me. He has shown me what real courage is. He always steps up to the hard, uncomfortable tasks. He has shown me what it means to have empathy and sympathy. He has seen unthinkable horrors, but has not been hardened by them, his heart still breaks when he sees someone being hurt. He is a living example of what it means to not just talk the talk, but walk the walk. He always has been and always will be the love of my life, my soul mate and best friend.
There are more, but this is getting really long, and talking about the last person is making me cry. I just want to point out one thing....the reason for this entry.....everyone of these people are flawed in some way. They have all made mistakes and bad choices. If you are waiting to find someone who is perfect so you can have a hero.....I hope your comfortable because its going to be a long wait. And it is was my hero Dave who taught me what it means to accept people.....all of them....good and bad. To have hero worship for both the heroic acts and the stupid acts. The point is none of them dwell on the bad, they endure it, learn a lesson, move on and try to do better.
Thanks Dave...I have mad love for you. I love the sweet kind man who loved me when I felt unlovable. I love the man who tells somewhat inappropriate jokes. I love the man that calls me his favorite person. I love the man who gets fed up and loses his temper with his mother. I love the man who whispers to me....usually something that makes me blush. And most of all I love the man who saw the good person inside of me and looked beyond the bad choices and stupid acts and taught me how to become a hero for someone else.
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