Everyday Heroes

The other day, a friend of mine posted a status update on Facebook about a sweet moment with her son who has autism. It was a cute little story and I teared up reading it. And I was reminded of other friends of mine who parent special needs children. I am so blessed to know women who are true advocates for their kids- working with and sometimes fighting the school, the doctor, the counselor, the insurance company to secure what is needed for their child. It got me thinking about people who are Everyday Heroes. Some people are heroes because of the career they choose- firefighters, police officers, nurses, doctors, teachers, pastors, military. Some people are heroes because of their community involvement- the volunteers who run a food pantry, the woman who helps other women escape domestic violence, the neighbor who starts a safe neighborhood program. I asked the question on my Facebook page and on Twitter- Who are your everyday heroes? Everyday hero- people who don't do big, heroic acts but who live a life that you see as heroic. The way a specific mom manages her child who has autism. The way a husband cares for his sick wife. The way a child stands up to bullies. Who are the people who have been in a tough situation and made choices- sometimes even small choices- that you admire and find heroic? The answers- single moms, bus drivers, a husband. My friend Anne shared some people in her life that she considers heroes- and then she realized that she was describing specific traits or life philosophies that she admired (women who achieve balance). In church this past Sunday, our pastor started his sermon with a story about a violinist who was playing a concert and the strings on the instrument kept breaking until he was down to a solitary string. He could have quit, he could have walked off stage. But he continued to play that one string and compelted the piece. The point was- do you keep playing when you are down to one string? I think those are the people who are my everyday heroes. The people who have been faced with impossible situations but who continue to play that last string. Even moreso are the people who get down to that last string and find a way to keep playing and restring the instrument at the same time. And more than that, I am in awe of people who are down to one string that is about to break and they mange to keep playing, restring their instrument, and eventually build an entire orchestra. And that leaves me wondering- what example do I set with my life and my choices? Is there anyone out there who sees me as an Everyday Hero? Do I inspire others with the decisions I make in my everyday life? When I am down to one string, do I keep playing and then go further to teach others to play, too?