Heroes...

With great power, comes great responsibility. Heroes. The way I see it, when most people think of heroes, they think of larger than life patriots. Men and women who have dedicated both their personal and professional lives to represent a symbol of hope to those whose life might seem hopeless. A colorful embodiment of selflessness. Of course, that’s not the only form a hero’s life can take, and there are so many places that our heroes come from. So many worlds within our world…worlds of magic…worlds of technology…worlds of intrigue…a world where a family of adventurers can bond together in the fight for the underdog. And when speaking of the underdogs of our society, one can’t help but think of the mutants. People whose entire existence is defined by their unique genetic birthright. And like every civil rights embattled minority before them, some mutants have come together using their celebrity and powers to help fight for their cause…while others wade through life’s persecutions and misunderstandings by attempting to live their everyday lives with nobility and grace. But a noble soul can whether they want to or not, find himself on a warrior’s path. Sometimes I wonder if being persecuted and embattled because of who they are makes the choice of becoming a warrior predestined. Predetermined. And that it’s the choice made there…when faced when faced with the unthinkable…that defines them…because we do not live in a black and white world. Cliché, but true. We live in a world where around any corner an act of violence is waiting that can change your life forever. And whether we want to admit it or not, it is at those times when we need someone who is willing to cross the line of what is technically, or morally, right and wrong. But with that comes the risk that the world can be so dark…and so compromised…that there can be no escape, no chance for happiness. So in my search for the hero I most admire…in my search for the definition of what a hero is…the one thing I realized is that I will eventually have to make certain, choices that will define me and my life. Or maybe I already have and don’t even recognize them yet. But I guess I don’t have to worry about it too much because of all the people in the everyday lives…in the news…in sports…in law enforcement…teachers…musicians…and yes, larger than life superheroes…all the people who stand for something bigger than ourselves. For me only one man…a man I have never met…has given me words to live by that I know I have to hold my life up to. I know they are the words that define a hero…that with great power comes great responsibility.