Who Will Save Us? Heroes.

Everyone speaks of heroes, and when we do, we imagine them powerful, built, with hearts of gold and nerves of steel. Long capes blowing in the wind as they fly to keep the world at peace. Yes, those heroes are what every child wants to grow up to be. But what about real heroes? Heroes that don't wear capes and don't fly off into the sunset. What about the heroes who's only secret identity is who they are. The heroes that have weaknesses harsher than kryptonite and take more to revive with than the sun. The heroes that we meet every day. What about them?

It may be the man who gave up his seat on the bus. It may be the middle aged woman who adopted a child. It may be a teacher who cleared up the fog from the lens of a student's mind. It may be a friend who stood by you, a lover who picked your broken pieces up. These are the true heroes. They're our heroes because they save a little bit in all of us.They fight evils that reside in everyone, they fight the Devils on our shoulders. They may not have nerves of steel but their hearts are pure as gold. We see these heroes every day, not giving them a moment of appreciation. Whats worse, we try to break them, grabbing their invisible capes and pulling them towards the ground. Nobody writes about the lives of these heroes. Nobody dedicates a comic book series to them. They don't demand the attention, either. True heroes don't crave recognition, they live off happiness and satisfaction. They'd rather be behind the lens than in the frame. Heroes create, heroes inspire. They're mortals who make history, mortals who achieve immortality through their service.

A soldier standing at our border, he's a hero. He's a hero, because we need him. He's a hero, because he's always under fire to protect us. When politicians hide behind their desks, burying themselves in excuses for the ongoing war, he's fighting for his life and our freedom. When the nights are cold, and we're warming ourselves with hot chocolate, he's patrolling the borders in spite of his senses being numbed by the ice. When the enemy attacks, when they violate ceasefire, we hide inside our homes, and he hides away his fear. He fights.
We need him because he has courage, courage we do not possess. We need him because amongst hypocrites and fashionable conformists, the soldier is the only one who can save us.

A journalist, targeted by terrorist organisations, he's a hero. He speaks from the heart, when he knows that a bullet through it could mean the end. He gives us a voice when our throats have been crushed by the grip of ignorance. He fights for what he believes, his wit being his weapon. He may paint, he may sketch, he may write words we've all stopped ourselves from saying. When we keep mum, out of fear of death, he wages wars on paper, wars against the corrupt and the insane. When we hesitate to ask, he searches for the right answers, he DEMANDS them. When the world has launched itself into panic mode, he presents us with a satire, a comic strip, to tell us all is not lost yet.
We need him, because he keeps our hopes up, hopes that are slowly drowning. We need him because amongst false names and empty words of cowards, the writer is the only one who can save us.

A friend, who's always at your side, he's a hero. He's there for you when no one else is around. You know there's nothing he wouldn't do to keep you happy. Nothing he wouldn't say to shut your haters down. When you've been hurt, he's there to spread your wings. When you're flying too high, he's there to pin you down. When you've cried for days, not eaten nor slept, he's there to hold you close. When you've achieved something you've always dreamed of, he's there to celebrate with. When your insecurities get the better of you, he's there to make you smile again.
We need people like him, because they keep our confidence up, confidence that can fade. We need people like him because amongst fake friends and back stabbing snakes, they're the only ones who can save us.

This isn't an ode to the larger-than-life heroes we see in movies, or read about in books. This isn't about the eternal battle between good and evil. It's an ode to the heroes that are very real, heroes that live right here among us, heroes that deserve the most to be written about, because in the end, Superman isn't going to save us, but maybe our next door neighbour will.