We've heard a lot about heroes lately. I've even witnessed a few heated conversations as to what exactly constitutes a hero. Is someone a hero because they're killed doing their job? Does it make a difference if they were a librarian or a soldier?
Did the soldier need to be in active combat or simply in uniform? Is the rescuer the hero and the rescued just lucky or are they both heroes? Is one a bigger hero than the other? What's the difference between being lucky and being a hero?
I don't know or care to debate it, but I can say this: In my little Bus Stop Mommy Universe, I have a few heroes of my own:
• a husband who rearranges his schedule, forgoes golf with the guys, and handles the home front so his wife can run away for the weekend;
• a dad who spends his Saturday helping his daughter paint her model rocket, even if it means two trips to the store to get just the right paint and stickers;
• a dad, who when he has to go into the office on the weekend, takes the kids with him;
• a dad who turns off the television when his son asks him to play ball, even when it's the 4th quarter, last inning, final lap, or 18th hole;
• a husband who knows his wife's underwear size and isn't afraid to use it;
• a husband, after a frantic call from his wife, (“It's pooping on my brand new curtains!”) comes home midday to get a bird out of the house. Additionally, he doesn't use it as embarrassing conversation fodder at the next social function.
• a mom who's sick as a dog, but still needs to get out of bed, make lunches, get the kids to school, attend two meetings, and meet a deadline;
• the husband with the sick wife who says, “Go back to bed honey. I'll take care of everything.” And he does.
• a parent with a backbone who's not afraid to ask, “Who's the adult and who's the child here?”
• a parent who, after threatening, “I swear young lady if you do that one more time you're grounded!” regrets it, but still follows through;
• a teenager who goes against the grain and teasings from his peers to do the right thing;
• a friend who offers to watch your child for five days so you can go out of town with your husband;
• a friend who listens to you whine and complain about your bad day and stressful problems that are ten times smaller than hers, but she's still genuinely interested and concerned for you;
• a little girl who, when thrown off a horse and into the mud, gets right back in the saddle;
• every mom who starts each day praying for the grace not to scar her children for life. Then gets out of bed.
Now that's heroic.
Karen Rinehart is a magazine humor columnist, public speaker and the creator of The Bus Stop Mommies, a newspaper. She is also author of Invisible Underwear, Bus Stop Mommies and Other Things True To Life. You can read more of her work at karenrinehart.net. Karen lives in Concord, North Carolina with her two kids, one husband and goofball dog, where they attend St. James Catholic Church. (Well, they leave the dog at home.) She enjoys hearing from readers across the States and as far away as Australia, Japan and England.
