This is a time in America when it’s common to hear there are no heroes left to honor. Every day in the media one hears of corruption in our public officials and other representatives of law and decency. Instead, we are surrounded by heroes and have contact with them every day. They are your neighbors who volunteer as fire fighters. They are the people who teach at-risk children to keep them in school and help them get an education. They are the deputies who put their lives on the line every day and night. They are the people who help raise money for a variety of causes, ranging from prevention of child abuse to promoting cancer research to feeding the hungry. We are mandated by Christian belief to care for our fellow human beings, but it seems sometimes those people need a bit of recognition. After all, a pat on the back works wonders with a bad day even for a hero. In St. Charles Parish recently, a 9-1-1 operator helped a frightened teen-ager save her grandmother’s life with her calm demeanor, skill in communicating vital information and not giving up. That young person was blessed by the recovery of her grandmother and with the knowledge there are heroes all around her who will help in a crisis. However, it shouldn’t take a crisis for all of us to realize the heroes who fill our community. Benefit activities, such as for United Way or for American Cancer Society, provide us with opportunities to do something for other people. In short, these activities let us also be heroes. Webster’s Dictionary defines a hero as one who is courageous and exhibits noble qualities. Certainly it can be called courageous and noble to go out of the comfort of your bed in the pre-dawn hours to try and save a burning house, rescue its occupants and prevent the fire from becoming more widespread, no matter whose house it is. Certainly it can be called courageous and noble to comfort and be a tender, listening ear to someone troubled by alcoholism or drug abuse in their family. Heroes may not wear spandex uniforms or use super powers in real life. Heroes, though, are all around us. They may wear a police or firefighter’s uniform or simply look like everyone else. They include the people who defend our nation, bringing security to a troubled land and making our own country safe and perhaps the most stable society the world has ever seen. What is most important to recognize, however, is everyone has the potential to become a hero. Perhaps there’s no money in it, but that’s not why heroic behavior is done. It’s the commitment, the caring and the common decency we are taught as human beings. We need more heroes, so look around and find which opportunities are best suited to yourself. If you need a purpose in life, it is this – be a hero to someone.

L’Observateur