HERO

“You cannot be a hero without being a coward.” — George Bernard Shaw.

Many people are liable to assume that a hero is the strongest antonym to a coward. Indeed, the first association that invariably pops into our heads when we hear the word ‘hero’ is ‘courage.’ We picture a gallant person who is eager to take chances, sometimes perfunctory, for the benefit of other people. Ostensibly, the gutsy image is opposed to the one of a coward who is too numb in fear to act.

Dread is the major deterrent for many people. It prevents the majority from undertaking actions in the face of a nascent hazard. However, from my point of view, such a situation when one is frozen into coward turmoil is the incentive for genuine heroism.

For me, heroism is not solely about bravely; it is a more complex notion. Heroism presupposes that a person acknowledges his weaknesses and is eager to surmount them to do what should be done in a moment of trouble. Instead of running away from jeopardy, they run towards it, resisting all vicious thoughts of turning the other way. With every step, their fortitude steadily shuffles off its cowardly coil; they become heroes.

To put it simply, I believe that you are a hero when you conquer your cowardice.

“A hero is an ordinary individual who finds the strength to persevere and endure in spite of overwhelming obstacles.” — Christopher Reeve

The idea of the quote tightly correlates with the previous one; however, it applies the notion of bravery to everyday life.

Undeniably, fear, though the most crucial, is only one of the disquieting impediments that hinder your life path. There is an abundance of other devastating obstacles that affect everyone to the point that we are willing to give up in despair. We feel powerless and fearful. Nevertheless, it is a delusion because people are mightier than they think. There is hidden potential within us that will eventually break through.

The courage and the ability to pull yourself together to overcome all difficulties and endure challenging times are invaluable; it makes us heroes. We are all heroes.