he·ro
1. a person who is admired or idealized for courage, outstanding achievements, or noble qualities.
They say that a hero is someone who is admired or idealized but I am not sure that is the correct definition. I believe that Hero’s understand the true meaning of “Givers Gain” they put the needs and concerns of others first without expectation of any gain.
Have you noticed that more and more people would rather take a video on their phones when someone is hurt or being hurt rather that stepping up and helping. Everyone cares more about being a YouTube sensation than about their fellow man. There seems to be fewer and fewer common citizen hero’s.
What is a hero?
When I think of a Hero I think of people who take risk, people who are willing to put their own safety or well-being aside in an effort to help someone else. This week been inspired by 3 different Hero’s. All 3 left me inspired they did not pick up their cell phone to post video’s on social media, they each did what they felt they needed to do to help others regardless of their own comfort.
First meet my friend Van Halliwell of Liverpool. Van and I have been friends for many years. Van saw the back of a house on fire, but he did not stop to take a video, he rushed into the house and pulled a frightened 15 year old boy to safety. When I told him that he was a hero he pushed it away. “I was just in the right place at the right time, it was luck really.” In the eyes of the 15 year old boy, Van will always be a hero.
Next meet Jason, on the way home from the family reunion he sees a large rock fly off a truck and hit the car windshield in front of him. The car spun out of control, goes down an embankment and hits a tree. Jason did not stop to shoot a video for his social media page, he rushed to the side of the rode and ran down the hill to help. Sustaining minor injuries as he was rushing to help. He did all that he could to help make sure that people were safe and to help those who needed it. Once help arrived he realizes his own truck was not put in park and rolled down the hill into a tree. Jason is a quiet hero who cared for the people he was helping.
The third Hero on my list is an unknown Hero who touched my heart with his bravery. He stood in the middle of the Gay Pride Festival in the heat, with his black clothing and white color. On the front of him he had a sign that read: “I am sorry that Christians have tried to take your rights away from you. I am sorry that you have been unjustly judged.” Right behind him where the evangelicals preaching to all who could hear, how we were damned to hell. He is a Hero putting his own physical and emotional well-being at risk to deliver a message of hope and concern to those who have been marginalized. He did not post on Social Media his selfies and videos. He was there to deliver a message of hope.
We can all be Hero’s when we put the needs of others before our own; when we step out of our own fears and take action to help others in spite of our own discomfort and well-being. Put the phones down ,stop watching the world from a view finder, and take action to help the people around you for all the right reasons – not to be a YouTube Star or to drive up you Social Media Activity.
Be a human and care about other humans more than you care about yourself. It’s the meaning of “Givers Gain”.
