A few years ago my daughter (13 at the time) turned to me in the car and said, “I think there’s two type of people in the world. One type is a hero and the other is someone waiting for a hero“. I pondered this statement since then. Could she be right? And better yet…which am I?
Let’s define what a hero is first:
1. A person of distinguished courage or ability, admired for brave deeds and noble qualities.
2. A person who, in the opinion of others, has heroic qualities or has performed a heroic act and regarded as a model or ideal: He was a local hero when he save the drowning child.
3. The prinicpal character in a story, play, film, etc.
As I train for my first marathon in New York this November, I am thinking more and more about the hero inside me. Now clearly I can rule out being a demigod or immortal and I may not save a small child from drowning so let’s keep to the courage or ability part. I will need to find it and pretty soon as the miles start to mount on the long runs each week because it will take all I’ve got to do this right.
Recently I’ve had a few well-meaning people point out to me that there’s really no shame in not finishing the marathon……What? Is that what a hero would say? Don’t think so. I may run or walk or even crawl across that finish line but not crossing is not an option!
We all have the potential to be a hero. So is it just a choice? Maybe.
A year after my daughter threw that statement at me about hero’s she said she wanted to revise it. “Maybe the people who are waiting for a hero don’t realize that they might be a hero in someones elses eyes”.
You can bet your last dollar on me finishing this race just so I can be a hero not only to myself but just possibly to my very wise daughter!
And what you might ask does this have to do with beauty? Nothing more beautiful than finding out your true inner strength.
Oh Leslie, you always inspire me! And of course you have a wise daughter, she is yours!
Thank you Tiffany for your kind words!