One of my best friend's favorite song is "Hero" by Mariah Carey and it's actually a song that I appreciate. Recently, I had the chance to be a hero. In the aftermath, I realized that we are each a hero in our own way. Why? Because sometimes, we have to be our own hero. What does it mean to actually be a hero?
Hero [he-ro, heer-oh] / Heroine [her-o-ine, her-oh-in]
A man/woman of distinguished courage or ability, admired for his/her brave deeds and noble qualities.
A person who, in the opinion of others, has heroic qualities or has performed a heroic act and is regarded as a model or ideal.
The principle male/female character in a story, play, film, etc.
It means being brave for a split second longer than your dismay. You have to be able to think quickly and make decisions that can have serious implications. You may possibly even feel a sense of responsibility tied to the word "hero". There isn't anything wrong with that, because most people don't want to be a role model or to be a hero. In fact, most people will say "I was doing the right thing" and that's all they were thinking. But what happens when your expected hero (or anyone) doesn't come to save you?
That's when you "look inside you and be strong" because you "finally see the truth that a hero lies in you". Too much? Let's be honest: People will disappoint you. They will let you down. This is human nature because we are not perfect. Society is not perfect and flaws sometimes come out at the most inopportune times. There's nothing wrong with relying on other people, even though it can be difficult for people at times. I do not rely on people for many things and hate admitting I need help. Even then, for every day issues, I have to rely on my own abilities to keep me from falling between the cracks.
I take care of myself. To the best of my ability, of course. Society is going to judge me based off my voice, my clothes, my heritage, my attitude, and whatever else they believe they have the right to judge me by. Go for it. If judging me makes you feel better, fine. I'll consider you ignorant until you and I have a serious conversation about what I'm doing so wrong that you feel offended by me. But really, I don't expect anyone to come to my defense and "save" me from ignorant people who don't give me a chance.
I'm not a hero to anyone else. I haven't saved anyone from a burning building, or from drowning. I haven't been able to donate millions of dollars to a cause I truly believe in. I'm a simpleton. A homebody who enjoys reading actual paperback/hardback books, cooking dinner for those I love, playing with my dogs, and sleeping 12 hours a day if I can pull it off. I noticed suspicious activity, I reported it. Most heroes do nothing more than notice something wrong and do what they can to make it better.
You can be, and generally are, your own hero. When you can't find someone to help you, you must believe in yourself that you are all you need. You sometimes have to dig very deep, deeper than you think you can go, to find your hero and bring that person out. It's easy to get lost in ourselves, or others, but we must never ever give up on our selves. Nobody can tell you how to save yourself, it's something that is internal, completely and utterly raw. Don't give up on yourself just because you feel alone. If you could save one person in the world, wouldn't you do it?
Resources:
"Hero" by Mariah Carey via LyricsFreak.com, 2013
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