Do you have an unsung hero in your life?

Do you have heroes in your life?

heros

I do.

According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary a hero is”

1a : a mythological or legendary figure often of divine descent endowed with great strength or ability
b : an illustrious warrior
c : a person admired for achievements and noble qualities
d : one who shows great courage
Obviously, “c” and “d” are the ones that apply to most people.
There are a number of people in my life who qualify according to this definition.  They have achieved goals even though they were ill-equipped to do so. They did it without fanfare. They never walked over anyone to get to where they are. They remain humble.

Real heroes are not necessarily wealthy or well-known.

Some people achieve great fame because of their courageous acts. Most don’t. I know a number of people who deserve medals for various reasons. People battling cancer. Parents of children with special needs. Older people fighting loneliness.

I’m not diminishing the efforts of those whose courage has been recognized but sometimes we get so caught up in the drama and the glitz that we don’t see what’s right in front of us–people who deserve our applause no matter how small their stage.

Some of these heroes are within my immediate family. One is only six years old.

The next time you want to cheer someone, look for someone in your own life that deserve your applause and let them know they’re your hero.

unsung heros1

It could be that person you know who battles depression and yet “keeps on keeping on.” I knew someone like that. She lived her whoe life under its shadow and yet managed to find joy wherever she could. No one saw her fight  but I did. She was my hero.

She still is.

So today look around for someone to award a “Medal”.  Give them your encouragement, your support, your applause.

And what about you?  Do you deserve your own medal? I think each of us is brave in some way. I think each of us overcomes challenges every day that no one knows about. So if today is one of those challenging days, give yourself a medal.

You deserve one.

God bless you today.