Heroes.

I suppose this post is the next edition in "things on my mind" posts. I understand going into it that I may well offend people and, yet, here I am. Let's get on with it, shall we? There is much talk, loose talk, of "heroes" in our society today. When someone fights a disease, they are called a hero. When someone is killed in the line of duty, they are called a hero. Teachers are called heroes. Firemen, policemen, doctors, nurses, military people...all called heroes. Some ports figures are called heroes. Some see Michael Jackson as a hero. Or Tiger Woods. Or Barack Obama. I am here to burst these hero bubbles.

To *me, a hero is a person who puts him/herself out there with great risk to life, limb and freedom with no thoughts of personal gain for themselves, including a salary. Don't get me wrong, I have great regard for law enforcement and, in fact, wanted to be a cop for many years. Firefighters and EMTs? Wonderful people. Military personnel? Same thing. Teachers? Way under appreciated and underpaid for what they do. But, in my book, none of these people are heroes. I won't even touch the whole celebrity thing.

A hero acts and does, with no thought to repayment or personal gain, as I said. A hero *reacts on gut instinct, wanting to do what they feel is right in order to save people. Period. They expect nothing in return...not a paycheck, not a reward, not recognition. A few heroes in my book? I'll list them but it's important to note that I can find someone to be a hero and not agree with what they've done. In fact, those may be the greatest heroes of all...those who act to save others even when it might be unpopular. So, my list of the top 10, in no particular order:

1. People who leave gang life *and mentor others who are trying to leave.
2. Adoptive parents who accept "hard to place" children as their own, with pure love.
3. Harvey Milk.
4. The late King Hussein of Jordan.
5. Jesus.
6. Neighbors/passersby who rush into burning buildings/dangerous situations to rescue people.
7. Anyone who shares willingly of what they have with the less fortunate when they don't have a lot themselves *and feels blessed to be able to do so.
8. People who kill abortion doctors because they genuinely feel those doctors are killing babies.
9. Any Hospice volunteer.
10. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Anyone have any real heroes to add?