Everyday Heroes

This is the autobiography essay that I wrote for my first school assignment. I thought I would share it with all of you.

My heroes have never worn masks or capes. There is nothing extraordinary or amazing about them. You won’t even recognize their names. They are the people who have changed my life. Now, I know this is supposed to be my autobiography but I can’t tell you about myself with out telling you about how I arrived at this point. I think that you can tell a lot about a person by the qualities they admire in others and about the traits that they seek to emulate. My heroes are everyday people who inspire me to be a better person with simple acts of bravery and kindness that come from the heart.

Parents are every child’s first heroes. My parents continue to inspire and influence me today. I can call my mom after a rough day and she still has the magical power to make everything better. My dad taught me to judge people by their actions and not by how they look, what they wear and certainly not by what they say — talk is cheap. How a person chooses to act speaks about the very core of their character. My parents worked hard to teach my little brother Cris and I that we can choose how we react to any situation. They taught me to be proud of who I am and that hard work always pays off in the end.

As a teenage mother, I was scared enough of becoming a parent. When I went into labor only 31 weeks into my pregnancy and gave birth to a 2 pound baby boy, it was Becky Hatfield that came to the rescue. She is the coordinator of a group of volunteers called Parent to Parent. Their focus is supporting the parents of babies in the newborn ICU. They offer true empathy because they have all been parents of preemies themselves. It was with this group that I found my calling for helping people. I volunteered with them for over 10 years; Becky gave of herself limitlessly and she illustrated to me the spiritual rewards of being part of something bigger than myself.

My husband is my rock, and for this alone he is one of my heroes. Dave encouraged me to go back to school, sacrificed his time with me so that I could study and has a calming influence when things seem to spin out of control. He is really my best friend, and knows me better than I know myself. Cliché, but so true. Our marriage is one of my greatest accomplishments. He loves me and my son like we were meant to be together, and has given me the daughters I always wanted. I know I can count on him, and that means more to me then he will ever know.

My children have enriched my life in so many ways. They have taught me that it is okay to mess up as long as I learn from my mistakes. My oldest daughter, Heather has such a forgiving, outgoing nature. She has taught me to let the little things go. My middle child, Theresa, is headstrong and creative and has influenced me with her view the world’s simple wonders. She goes after what she wants with gusto. Drew, my only son, is determined. He never lets anything get in his way; never lets anyone tell him that something is impossible. He inspires me to forge ahead, no matter how hard it gets.

It would be a long list to tell you everyone that I admire. I have an amazing group of friends and a big extended family rooting for me. I feel their love and support everyday in all of the little, common things they do. They do not seek recognition. It is these little things that can make such a difference in the world. Mother Theresa stated “We can do no great things, only small things with great love.” This quote sums up perfectly my view of heroism. I want to be one of these every day heroes.