This is an essay about the idea of the everyday hero. Hopefully, after reading this people will realize in the words of David Bowie that, "we could be heroes just for one day."

What is a hero? There are many definitions of a hero. Some would say a hero is a firefighter, police officer, soldier, doctor, or a nurse. All of these people are heroes. The firefighters and police officers who ran into the twin towers as they were falling to the ground would certainly be considered heroes. Some would say a hero is a person who fights the big fight on behalf of the “little guy.” Some would say the true definition of a hero is someone who does something they are not trained to do and could die doing it. The thought of a random person jumping into an icy cold lake to save the life of a young child comes to mind. Perhaps a hero is a civilian who disarms a gunman in the middle of a robbery. By any stretch of the imagination, all of these people could be considered heroes. These are examples of people who stand up and run toward danger when most would turn and run from it. That's a hero.
However, there never seems to be a shortage of these acts of heroism. The bottom line is that as humans when people are faced with the worst possible situations many of them tend to become strong, brave, fearless and unified. When faced with a common threat, thoughts of hate, racism, social class and any other type of difference seems to melt away. This is a wonderful aspect of the human condition. It is one to be proud of. It is one to be celebrated. It is one that should not be discounted. Without these types of heroes, our world would crumble and we would live in a hopeless world void of compassion, understanding and humanity. This however leads me to another important type of hero: the everyday hero.
Many people may never be faced with the decision to jump into an icy lake, disarm an armed robber, or save a person from a burning building. Although, that lack of opportunity does not discount their ability to be heroes. Everyday, people are faced with countless opportunities to be heroes in a very small but maybe, even unknowing to us, significant way. How many times have people let doors slam in the face of someone struggling with a baby stroller, wheelchair or a handful of packages? How many times have people passed by cars with headlights left on in the parking lot on a cold winter’s day and have done nothing to let the owner know? How many times have people heard the screaming cries of a neighbor being victimized by a spouse and have done nothing to stop it? How many fathers go through the act of bringing a child into the world but make no attempt at raising or supporting the child? How quickly do people cut each other off on the highways of America? How many times have people been unyielding on the road to emergency vehicles? How many times have people been unsympathetic to the suffering that goes on around them? These are just some of the opportunities people let pass by everyday. If one thinks hard enough he/she could think of hundreds maybe even thousands of examples.
Sometimes being a hero is easy. Sometimes being a hero is hard. Sometimes being a hero is an everyday occurrence. Sometimes it is an everyday opportunity. After reading this, go out today and be hero. Be a hero the best way you can be. Offer assistance when needed. Spend some time with your child. Listen as someone let’s a burdening problem of his/her chest. Clear your elderly neighbor’s driveway of snow…for FREE. Expect nothing in return. Ask for nothing in return. Be a true hero and do it anonymously. But however you do it; just do it. Imagine how great our world would be if it was filled with everyday heroes.