Heroes

 We are not very good at selecting our heroes. So let’s be clear.

Heroes don’t chase fame and wealth. Heroes are not defined by mastery of a particular skill. Heroes need to be good looking and chiseled only in movies and comic books. Heroes don’t use their notoriety to become product spokesmen. Heroes don’t seek comfort and excess. 

A hero is a human being, sometimes a failed human being. This failure can even be what makes the hero aware of his/her potential deeper humanity. This awareness—or call—is accepted by the hero, knowing that great challenges and tests are ahead. This can be a journey of the body, mind and/or spirit. The hero returns, recognizing that her/his transformation prepares him/her for the task of bringing to society a message of enlightenment.

We don’t measure our humanity by our wealth and comfort. We measure our humanity by the way we confront our own suffering and the suffering of others.