04/09/99

Readers Offer Their Heroes

In response to "Who is Your Hero?" (3/26/99)

Many readers offered answers to the question "Who is your hero?" Not only did respondents name internationally famous people as role models, but they also mentioned heroes closer to home among friends and family members. Still others try to emulate religious leaders or representatives of other social groups. Perhaps it's a subject that touches us all, as we strive to become more like our ideal selves. Readers talk about their heroes in the following selections.

"The article about heroes reminded me of this quote from Seven Story Mountain by Thomas Merton, a Catholic Monk and Writer: "The logic of worldly success rests on a fallacy: the strange error that our perfection depends on the thoughts and opinions and applause of other men! A weird life it is, indeed, to be living always in somebody else's imagination, as if that were the only place in which one could at last become real!"

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"I wrote an essay as a boy about my favorite hero. I wrote about a parish priest who rolled up his sleeves and pitched in with our Cub Scout pack. As the years have gone by, however, my favorite hero turned out to be my dad. A member of the generation Tom Brokaw has written about, my dad was also a World War II veteran. Tough as nails on the outside, it was only in his later years that he let down his guard enough for us to know his soft, sensitive side. Now that I'm a father and a husband myself, I can begin to appreciate the sacrifices he made for us. He died four years ago. How I miss him!"

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"Since there is no one else who ever was or ever will be perfect, I have to say that only the Lord Jesus Christ qualifies as my hero. That way there is always room for me to improve in this life as I look up to Him."

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"The scarcity of hero material in the current sociocultural climate saddens me. Martin Luther King is hero material in my eyes. He was a man who had vision, ideals, and the courage to fight for his goals against huge societal pressures. After 30 years, he is still my number one hero."

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"I have recently wrapped up seven years of intense development of a project that very much pertains to the statement from the hero article, "Respect and admire the individual." It is called "World Ship," a spectacular and magnificent global exposition that is now coming on the world scene specifically for the benefit of the people. It's a unique, innovative world's fair that is mounted upon a fleet of ships and voyaged around the world ad infinitum. Its mission is for peoples to appreciate other diverse peoples, by using new humanitarian, educational and cultural programs. It's upbeat and exciting, and I am about to start publicizing it in every way I can find. It is structured as a non-profit organization. Spreading the word at a grass roots level is important in its quest to serve the vital interests of everyday people. Won't you please view its web site? http://www.worldship.org

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"Many years ago, kids got out of school, walked home, did chores and faced doing their homework (if they could stay awake long enough). They tended to emulate their parents or teachers -- good or bad. Now kids often come home to an empty house with TV personalities to watch and emulate. If you've ever seen the Jerry Springer show, you know what kind of role model he is! Do we want our kids to copy such rude, violent behavior? I don't think we need all kinds of sordid behavior covered on TV and in the newspapers."

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"I'm a social worker for children with special needs, many of whom are medically fragile, non-verbal, non-ambulatory or suffer from frequent seizures. Some of them need a personal nurse by their side throughout the school day. They come to school every day smiling and ready to learn. They don't know what it's like to run and play with typical children, but that doesn't matter to them. These children are my heroes."

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"The older you get, the more you realize how dumb you used to be. It's a wonderful feeling not to be so ready to impress people, as opposed to being impressed by real people. They say when you get older that your eyesight gets worse, but your insight gets better!"

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"I used to work for a boss who I thought was a nut. When I took the jog, he said, "Understand that when you work here, I own you. No matter what happens to you outside work, I want you to focus 100% on work when you are here and nothing else." Over the years we argued over many things, until one Sunday when his wife was away. He and I were working on payroll, and I half jokingly asked him if I could write out his paycheck, because I was curious about how much he made. In a sincere and fatherly manner, he said, "I never take a paycheck until I pay all the employees and pay all the bills. Then if I have anything left over, I pay myself. You would never work for what I get paid." He told me that he often thought about all the things his business provided for his employees - the houses it bought, the kids it put through college, the cars it bought, and the vacations it paid for. Knowing that was his "paycheck." My attitude toward him changed drastically after that. I listened instead of arguing and tried to emulate his best qualities, and there were many. Now I am in a managerial position and find myself closing my eyes, wondering what he would do in the same situation. Some of my heroes have disappointed me over the years. But not my first boss. He taught me how to set a good example and be proud to help others."

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"I know some heroes and saints like those living among us. I am teaching my children to love individuals for their unique gifts that were given by God and to use their own with pride and gratefulness. Imagine a world with individuals like these, working together for the common good. An awesome thought!"

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"I've struggled with the hero issue a lot lately. It started with the revelations about Thomas Jefferson. I had always admired him greatly and was stunned when the news broke. Then it hit me that he was still the same person I had always admired. His accomplishments were the same - the only difference was that he was shown to be a human being with the same potential for failings that we all have. I felt better. My concern now is that in this age of technology, we might just be learning too much about each other. When a famous person must make a decision (like the President during the NATO mission), it seems like TV shows are waiting with two line-ups. No matter what he does, they have a show ready to expose the negative side, creating a lose-lose situation. If we buy into this mind set, people like Babe Ruth could never be heroes, because their lives would be so picked apart by the press and TV, that their heroic qualities would get lost in all the sensationalism."

Please send questions or comments to bbruno@snet.net.