Hero #153: YOU! … (01/01/16)
That’s right – YOU, each & every one of you, also qualify as being a Hero; at least a potential one. True, you may not have the equanimity of Thich Nhat Hanh or the political clout of Martin Luther King or the mass popularity of Gandhi or the limitless freedom of Peace Pilgrim, and yet you do have the ability to live a truly heroic life nonetheless …
*When tempted to pass by a homeless person or scurry past a downtrodden stranger, you can choose to Be Kind to them instead …
*When tempted to feel hatred for or utter gossip about an enemy, you can choose to forgive them instead (remembering that real Forgiveness is a verb – a good deed – often an anonymous one) …
*When tempted to complain about the blatant corruption &/or inexcusable ineffectiveness of your political “leaders” (be they local or regional or national) you can choose to exit the political system that is wasting your energy and invest your time and your money and efforts in building self-sustainable, giving&sharing-based communities instead …
*When tempted to let your selfish desires for palate pleasure lead you towards supporting acts of callousness and cruelty towards farmed animals, you can choose to Go Vegan instead …
*When tempted to live your life primarily for yourself and those who already love you, you can choose to Live yourLlife for the betterment of others – ALL others – instead.
And it is important for us all to remember that we don’t need to “change the world” or “save our communities” or even “discover our true purpose in life” to become the heroes we were all born to be. We don’t have to donate all of our time or all of our wealth or all of our caring in order to make a huge difference in the lives of those around us. We simply have to regularly give 5 minutes of our time when we are truly busy with other “every important things” – only have to give a few dollars when we are at the end of the month and have just enough for ourselves – only have to reach out and care for a moment or two in those times when we l4east wish to do so, for those “least deserving” of the same … That is all it takes to become a hero – for that is essentially what all Heroes truly do.
Amen … Let it be so!
“Everybody can be great … because everybody can serve. You don’t have to have a college degree to serve. You don’t have to make your subject and verb agree to serve. You only need a heart full of humble grace; a Soul generated by Love.” ~ inspired by Martin Luther King Jr.
“Many of the greatest heroes are those who do their duty in the daily grind of domestic affairs whilst the world whirls as a maddening dreidel.” ~ Florence Nightingale
“Heroes aren’t heroes because they worship the light, but because they know the darkness all too well to sink down and live with it.” ~ Ninya Tippett
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