The news is flooded with the pictures of Nelson Mandela and his legacy of struggle, imprisonment and triumph. We see those who are celebrating the man, how he change a nation, the mindset of the world’s perception of a gross injustice which when viewed in retrospect seems so obvious to those of us here in 2013. We see the smiling face of a mature statesman, cradling children in his arms and yet he was denied the opportunity to cradle his own children, so he cradle the children of his country and those of the world. He became a larger than life “HERO” to millions.
As the world celebrates Nelson Mandela’s life, look around your life and and see who you could be a HERO to. What does it take to be a “HERO”? You don’t have to be put on trial and go to prison for most of your life, you just have to be available to serve another, asking nothing in return.
Do you live in a metropolitan area? How could you be a “HERO” to those on your daily commute? No one has to see you doing something for it to lift up another and to be of value. What is the worse thing that might happen? They might scoff at you, grunt, but isn’t that the normal response? What if you just smiled and did it anyway? You would feel uplifted and the next person would not know you did anything at all but it would be done.
What about doing something for someone who does the same thing day in and day out without recognition in your business? How could you be a “HERO” to one of them today?Do you remember the idea of being a “Secret Santa”? What if you left a little something for that person or persons instead of buying lunch for yourself this week?
I bet there are people who live in your neighborhood that you have never met. Or people in your apartment building on your floor you see everyday, but you never bothered to introduce yourself to. What have you missed out on by not knowing those folks? What if knowing them and being a “HERO” to them in some way could actually be a real blessing to YOU?! During this busy time of year, a parent could always use another set of hands to help out with something, or a home cooked meal, or someone to hold a ladder or if you are going to the store or post office as your neighbor if you can pick something up for them. What is it that you might gain by asking and being a “HERO” to them today?
What if that same person has just suffered a huge loss in their family and they really could use some comfort and joy right now? What if one of those dear neighbors, or coworkers is really ill and can’t get out to do their own shopping, you would be a real “HERO” if you called or stopped by and just offered to help out!
How could you be a “HERO” this week?
