I’ve mentioned before that it is the people stories that amaze me about this business. I’ve met parents of dying children who describe themselves as blessed to have met their heroic child; a child who doesn’t question their fate but knows they have a limited life-span and puts every ounce of living into the time they have. I’ve met survivors of illness and injury, including a mother of 2 who was determined to walk up our stairs to her room every night and down again for breakfast, despite having to use a wheelchair at home as she recovers from an injury expected to leave her unable to walk again.
However, this past week, we met an amazing young woman from Russia who had been adopted by a US family just 3 years ago. She was just like any 12 year old girl you may know in your neighbourhood. Having spent time this summer at camp, she was eager to teach my husband how to make smores over the gas fire pit in our back yard and she thrilled at the opportunity to show us the new top she bought her last night here.
What makes her a hero to me is how she doesn’t bat an eyelash at the trials she has survived. Apparently life hasn’t been so good to her in the past – but instead of asking for sympathy or using it as a crutch, she is very proud to tell us about life in the Russian orphanage and how she learned to work hard and do her part to keep the orphanage clean.
You see that’s what makes a hero….the ability to rise above our challenges and keep focused on what is important. Perhaps children are natural at it – more resilient than adults, but I choose to think that we all have the ability to be heroes. And better yet, there are heroes all around us that can help to inspire our own inner hero!
Have you met any heroes lately?