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Blogs by Linda Merlino
A Hero in Blog 3/6/2008 10:54:15 PM
I want to blog about being a hero but how do you define a hero? Can a hero be the subject of a blog?
The seed for my book came not from the idea of breast cancer but rather from the premise of what is a person really made of? Not skin and bones, but that something which makes him or her different from another person. Specifically I wondered about individuals who are challenged by what most of us take for granted; thinking, processing and verbalizing.
The feat of heroism requires you to step outside yourself and all that matters in your life and take action without thought. To be a hero is to be selfless. To be a hero takes courage, and so few of us meet that criteria; so few of us are capable of true heroism.
Our children need heroes, not the animated variety or the Hollywood version but real people. Every man and woman who serves our country is a hero. Whether we believe our presence in Iraq and Afghanistan is valid we must not fail in our loyalty to the soldiers. No one asks to go to war, not intentionally, not until later when the scent of war is ingrained, and even then as Americans we need to fly our flag and thank those young men and women in uniform for their bravery.
Now what of other kinds of heroes, the ones that receive no medals, no recognition, what about them? What about the teenager who bags your groceries and hauls your shopping cart into the grocery store? Can he be a hero? If we stereotype our heroes then the likely answer is, no.
In blogging about heroes I am asking you to go outside that square place we call a box. Rethink how you view the people around you. Do not take for granted someone who appears to be challenged for what we consider mundane tasks, and ordinary chores.
Perhaps a hero lies beneath the surface. We may never know, but we can wonder. Belly of the Whale will introduce you to Willy Wulinsky. He may not fit the description of a hero, but he will surprise you. To learn more: read Belly of the Whale, available April first everywhere you buy books and on amazon.com.
