I Need a Hero
(And he has got to be strong . . .)
I need a hero.
I need a hero because the world is now devoid of them, because the world has been systematically robbed of true virtue. Heroes once covered the face of the Earth, and people sang their praises. Sculptors depicted their magnificence. Painters recreated their beauty. Poetry was recited about their strength and valor and bravery. Cities were dedicated to them. Sagas were written about their lives. Their names and deeds were emblazoned on the human psyche.
But the World Wreckers will tell you no.
They will say heroes never existed. They will say it is all just a myth. Just stories to tell petulant children on a cold and wintry night. Dangerous tales. They will dissect each and every word and say we can’t be sure of this and we can’t be sure of that because we haven’t got any proof. They will say it’s all just pointless fantasy that is not inclusive.
Because they want to remove
those stories that make our hearts yearn, that take our breath away, that make us reach for more. And like an impoverished Oliver Twist, we say, “Please, sir, I want some more.” But the World Wreckers know if we focus on our heroes, we might focus on their attributes. We might focus on bravery and strength. We might focus on cunning knowledge and wisdom. We might focus on self-sacrifice and divine intervention. We might focus on courage and righteous revenge and beauty.
And if we were to focus on these attributes,
we might want to become more like them. We might want to emulate our heroes. We might revere them. In our heart of hearts, we might envision ourselves in their shoes. We might become daring. We might draw strength from our heroes and gain an understanding from their struggles that will help us with our own difficulties.
Just be yourself, the World Wreckers will say.
Coyly. Sickeningly. No need to think of greatness when we were all born already great and exactly the same, they will tell you. And while I completely agree that we each must follow our own conscience, I also know that we must develop ourselves. We are all born with the raw material, yes, but what we each individually do with that raw material makes all the difference in the world. It separates the men from the boys, the women from the girls. It creates an exclusivity worth reaching for.
No need for any heroes, they will tell you.
But then they will surreptitiously slip in their own ideas of what they want you to be, of what you should emulate. Because they know that humans are social beings, and our behavior greatly affects those around us. So they try to fill the gap with degenerate icons, half-rotted beings without honor or nobility, without decency or kindness or morality. Because they know that people tend to mimic what they see and hear. They know that having removed the heroes, a void has been created, and they want to fill that void with creatures of their own making in order to rob the soul of its birthright.
Because they are afraid, so very, very afraid.
Because if we reclaimed our heroes, we might decide to make the world a better place. We might decide to turn the tide. We might emulate strength, honor, morality, decency, courage, love, worthiness, and self-sacrifice. We might set goals based on something greater than ourselves. We might transform ourselves into the heroes we could be, and having done so, we might then go on to right the wrongs that have been done to our society. And as free men and women once again, we might reach to the heavens as our forebears did and touch the outer edge of divinity.
[See my book, Fairy Tales of Maine, for my own stories of heroes and villains.]
In case you missed these recent stories:
The Secret Cache - for paid subscribers
The Magic Bottle - for everyone
Podcast #7 - Fear - for everyone
Answer the Question, Mr. Smith - for paid subscribers
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So true. Another amazing story <3
So appropriate for our time.