Who is a Hero or She-ro (as Maya Angelou has identified)? It is only natural to start from this premise. For obvious reasons, there are many definitions of a hero because there are many ways to become a hero.
“A hero is someone who is afraid to run away”; “we are all ordinary. We are all boring. We are all spectacular. We are all shy. We are all bold. We are all heroes. We are all helpless. It just depends on the day.” (Brad Meltzer) “My heroes are the ones who survived doing it wrong, who made mistakes, but recovered from them.” (Bono)
Taken as a whole, there is something about heroes that sounds like perfection. But that is not the word. I’m quite certain that the word that rings through when the stories of heroes are told is selflessness. Another word you hear could be sacrifice and yet another could be commitment. A hero is someone like you and I who in an instant leaps out of the ordinary to assume the status of the extraordinary in a given situation or context. Yes, ‘context’ is important! That was why Calvin Coolidge said: “heroism is not only in the man but (also) in the occasion”
The Nature of Heroism: Heroism more often than not reverses our sense of experience and expectation; it reorders logic and surprises us with a new way of believing and accepting reality and possibilities! Heroism is not synonymous with blood-letting or dying! The true test of heroism is in how much it has brought relief, freedom, happiness, recovery, discovery, comfort, to people. Heroism can be found anywhere! It is in the occasion and it is an opportunity! We do not create it; we only take it! You can exhibit heroism in love, on the street, in community service, in a group, in the church, in the family etc. Heroism can open up channels for peace, understanding, love, togetherness, hope, support, trust, belief, optimism etc.
The Humanity of Heroes: Heroism and humanity are not mutually exclusive. We become human beings before we ever seize the opportunity to become heroes and we remain human beings even as heroes. When we look at heroes, we suspend their humanity; we enter into an unwritten agreement to dispense with what makes them human beings because the moment an individual is admitted into the spirit of heroism, his or her humanity appears suspended in the context of delivering extraordinary service to mankind. Heroes stretch their humanity beyond the realms of the ordinary. They are, however, people we know; your father, your mother, your friend, brother, sister, child – yes, any of them can be your hero! It is just that moment of extraordinariness that seems to take them away from us. Otherwise, they breathe, they eat, they learn, they sleep, they feel, they smile, they cry, they grieve, they fail, they disappoint, they die, etc. If they do all this, then they are highly likely to be human. Just like you and me.
Furthermore, what we are judged by as human beings are not the same prerequisites for heroism. An individual could excel as one of the boxing heroes the world has ever known. Another individual could excel as one of the greatest footballers in history but if we are permitted to judge and assess such individuals as a human being, we may find that they have not succeeded in being responsible for their lives or in keeping the expected balances. Heroes may fail as human beings but they always excel in what makes them heroes. Every human being is endowed with the quality of heroism but all heroes are human beings through and through! What that means therefore is that we find a piece of humanity in every hero. And if that is admitted, then we have to go just a little further to admit that heroes are naturally accepted into the realms of imperfection.
People we know who are to us everyday people are not heroes from not being imperfect but from making an extraordinary presentation of themselves at a given moment or a very long period or even a lifetime!
The Beauty of Heroism: Heroes are extremely important in our lives. Their lives teach us a lifetime of sacrifice, commitment, selflessness, kindness, solidarity, gratitude, godliness, a lesson in humanity, patience etc. Paradoxically, patience in the face of tempest is heroism, love in a season of hate and evil is heroism, forgiveness in the face of heart-shattering transgression can make you a hero; a simple help in a moment of tragedy can make you someone’s hero. Is it any wonder that the slogan of the RedCross is: The greatest tragedy is indifference! Heroism is a positive exaggeration or amplification of our humanness. Heroism gives you nothing; rather it takes a lot from you! It offers hope in the face of adversity. Much good will be done in the world, if we not too careful who takes the credit. That is heroism! It widens our capacity to believe and persevere; to give and sacrifice etc
The Perfection or Imperfection of Heroes: Often times, we do not set out to be heroes or she-roes, it is time and circumstance that bestow heroism upon us. For one moment, it would seem as though a life of extraordinariness is without blemishes, flaws, or transgression. But heroism is not the perfection of a life but the exclusive sacrifice that an individual’s life has made for other lives. In other words, heroism is not about the perfect life but the perfection of a moment of courage, of sacrifice, of forbearance, of devotion etc. Are heroes such people whose imperfections we should not accept or tolerate? No! In spite of that moment of extraordinariness, heroes are only just HUMAN! What draws attention to heroism is not who we are but what we become in an instant or over a period or even a lifetime as a result of the commitment, dedication or exemplariness we demonstrate in what we have set ourselves to do or in the circumstance life has thrown at us. So, the question is: is there any perfect human being? The answer, to the best of my knowledge is ‘NO’! Not even heroes! Our humanity and heroism are tested on two diametrically different platforms.
Conversely, was man perfectly created by God? Yes! Was man created for perfection? The answer may be different! Our imperfection is a quality that defines or moderates most of the wonderful experiences we share in life. Our imperfection gives us the chance to explore the human issues of repentance and inadequacies, foibles, errors, acts of kindness, forbearance, weaknesses, hope etc. So, even heroes are not perfect!
Between Heroes and the rest of us: Should we let time pass us by because we feel we are not prepared for heroism? No! We should never allow our own self-evaluation to stop us from starting a journey or leading a group. No matter how great you are, you will be prone to mistakes and errors. Our imperfection should never be a deterrent but an impetus to committing ourselves and time to a good or great cause. Do not limit yourself to the fringes of life or society simply because the possibility of disappointment lurks in a corner of your head. “If you don’t place yourself where you could fail, you would never have a place from where you could succeed.” (‘Dumebi Onwordi-Okonji)
What is in failing by the way? If you fail and fail but eventually succeed you will become a part of all that you have learned. Success is a concealed form of failure because we often move beyond it to succeed more than we did the last time. If men are afraid to fail, then cars, airplanes, computers, and other pieces of technology will never have models. Our phones will remain in the same form and shape. Those who made them were not afraid to fail. Models are used to mark the limits of knowledge at a given time; a newer model means that the makers have advanced in knowledge. So, why are we afraid to try? “To be conscious that you’re ignorant of the fact is a great step to knowledge” (Benjamin Disraeli)
Perfection, like imperfection, is relative. It varies from place to place. The central lesson of life is in knowing that human experience is open-ended. CYON is a great place to exert yourself and never be afraid to fail because all of you are gathered here in the spirit of knowledge and exploration and both experiences never end. So, today, whatever you are willing to contribute to the growth of you organization, go ahead and commit to it. You may be a hero or someone who tried to change the world in his own little corner! Don’t let the thought of failure or imperfection hold you back for nobody is perfect.
‘Dumebi Onwordi-Okonji
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