Heroes: (a flashback piece)

There certainly is no shortage of heroic figures to whom I can look to as a role model. There exists a great many individuals from which to chose from, all with their own attributes and all with quite different backgrounds. They are all notable figures yet each of their stories are vastly unique. The similarity between them, and more importantly virtually any heroic figure, comes in their ability to overcome adversity in their quest to achieve that which they have set out to do.
One individual, for whom I have great respect and admiration for, that comes to mind when I think of a heroic figure is the late president Ronald Reagan. He was a personable man with great vision and leadership who overcame a great many obstacles in his quest to, not only leave behind a notable acting career to pursue political aspirations but, defeat communism and bring an end to the Cold War. At the time, Reagan was widely criticized when he walked out of the summit at Reykjavik and again when on June of 1987, in West Berlin, he declared to the Russian president, “Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall”. Yet despite the criticisms at the time, history has told the story and what history has written is that his fortitude and these incidents were defining and empowering moments which were contributory to the defeat of communism and the fall of the former Soviet Republic.

Taking a step back to the year 1932, my next hero became the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic. I’m of course referring to Amelia Earhart. What is so remarkable to me about this feat is the individualistic nature of the endeavor in conjunction with the era. The feat along with her many other notable achievements made headlines while at the same time breaking down barriers and stereotypes that women were somehow not worthy of such accomplishments. What’s more is that her accomplishments came not only in a field where woman were few, but in a field that itself was still quite adolescent. When I think of inner strength, I can’t help but reflect on this monumental event. To have the peace of mind to single handedly fly across a stretch of water as vast as the Atlantic is quite a courageous undertaking to say the least.

Thirdly, no personal hero list would be complete without mentioning a great voice that spoke to every hard working man and woman in America. A voice that spoke of the struggle of everyday life and who’s life personified that struggle to go on to become one of the greatest musical icons of modern times. A man whose certain to be the only man led into heaven wearing all black. I am of course speaking of the late Johnny Cash. A son of share croppers in Arkansas, Johnny Cash rose to musical stardom while overcoming his own personal demons of drug addiction. Certainly in the music industry this is not uncommon, but what strikes a special chord with me is that in Johnny Cash’s story he became vocal in his knowledge and belief that he could not overcome his hardships on his own. In addition to holding a deep religious faith, he knew that he needed the support of friends, family, and his wife June to guide him along on his journey to recovery. For a man of such stature to admit that he needs that kind of support is not only humble but it also speaks volumes about the people whom he turns to in those times of need.

While it’s healthy to have positive role models and heroes, we as individuals, all have it within ourselves to set personal goals. And in doing so, we will most likely overcome obstacles in the pursuit of those goals. It is this level of perseverance that makes each one of us our own hero and that is the greatest hero of all.