"Heroes" by G.

I've written a post about the hero a while back, but I think this topic warrants another. I've always been fascinated about the notion of a hero. When I was a kid, I would watch those action movies with the suave hero, and walk out of each one wishing that hero was me. But that's a limited view of a hero obviously. Heroes are just so... amazing. They are usually unique; are very talented and skilled. These are people of high intelligence. But the hero, he usually isn't a hero for no reason. Something made this person take action. He fights for some kind of cause.

One unifying characteristic of heroes is their bravery. Firemen, the passengers on the doomed 9/11 flights, a person who tackles a pedestrian out of the path of a speeding bus. These are all brave people. What you see in the movies is one kind of heroism. But really, you don't need a costume or superpowers or a genius level intelligence to be a hero. But you have to believe that there is a problem. Something bad that is happening that no one is doing anything about. And you see this problem growing worse by the day. And you must have the overwhelming desire to fix this problem. Whether this is a immediate thing, like a house suddenly bursting into flames, or a long-term problem, like the oppression of your country by external forces, there is something in you that makes you spring into action.

And yes, you must possess something else too. The bravery. It's the spark that lights the fire. It's what caused the man to jump into the train tracks to save a child. It's what makes people fight for something that they truly believe is right. It inspires humankind everyday to do extraordinary things. So in the end, heroes can be anyone. All you need is the problem. The bravery to do something about it. And the willingness to become the solution.