Unleash the hero in you

By Johanne Macob

I JUST got home from covering the Veterans’ Day event at the provincial Capitol grounds in Lingayen. Being there felt good. I was listening, looking, and cheering for the heroes — our living heroes. Yes, heroes are not necessarily dead; unlike what I used to believe when I was a kid.

In dictionary terms, hero means “a remarkably brave person” or “somebody admired for outstanding qualities or achievements”. So, who actually qualifies as a hero?

Someone need not fight with arms and shed blood to end to wars. Nor write powerful novels that expose the evils of those in power and awaken the oppressed . One need not learn how to fly, carry super heavy loads, and save the day for the village. No need to win boxing fights and be famous for such an achievement. No need to be rich or old and wise.  Don’t get me wrong, those are truly great and admirable deeds and traits, but not the only requirements for anyone who wants to be called a hero.

Everyone can become a hero. We can all be heroes.

Being a hero, I think, is something that requires passion. It is passion that drives a person to do good not just for his or her own glory, but for other people as well. Passion involves the heart, the mind and the determination. We can use what we have to somehow change the life of someone or alter a bad situation. Helping someone, helping the community, or helping the nation, in one way or another, is what heroism means.

Passion should not be boxed or kept in corners. Patriotic passion does not have rigid criteria. What counts most is the will to make a difference. You can be a hero by sharing your talents or skills or simply following laws that give order in society. Heroism does not always mean giving up your life for someone, a cause, or for country.  It sometimes takes just the little deeds that are often neglected.

I do not believe in what Will Rogers said that “We can’t all be heroes because somebody has to sit on the curb and clap as they go by.” I strongly believe that we can all be heroes. In different times, we can all be heroes and clap for one another. Being a hero is a choice.

Let us be a hero at least for someone or something. Let us be a hero even for just a moment in our life. And let’s start young to have more opportunities to uncover the superman or superwoman in us. Let us…

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