Who Are the Heroes?

[Jenna]

Saturday 2am, the couple walking home. Dehydrated from the dancing. A little tipsy but not overly, you cannot dance drunk. Still, tipsy enough to take the wrong shortcut. Martial artists both, yet tipsy enough too that their reflexes are deadened when the local crew kick up a stir: wrong faces you see; wrong neighbourhood. Pushes to punches to glass from smashed bottles and but they fight and bear fists and guards as they were taught. There is blood. There are too many.

Tyres screech to halt. There are no blue lights. The officer is off-duty. It it hardly his business and but things like this are always caught at the corners of his eyes, through bushes, or unlit alleyways. Even in the dark it is clear who he is: announcing police. And but they are too far gone. They are like animals: feral, beating, pummeling, kicking. There is back-up, yet even at four minutes there will be nothing left of them, this struggling couple against the boots, the gritted teeth; the hatred. He interjects with force. A knife in the torchlight. And a wound opens.

This crew flees. Support arrives: officers, paramedics in the fast-response vehicle.

It is ok, it is ok, everyone is breathing, alive, silhouetted in the strobes.

The hero? The cop of course. A good police, like many public servants in difficult situations is noble and heroic almost by definition. A side-wound: spleen. It is ok, he is a motorcyclist, toughened, and has survived a worse hit there.

Tomorrow: "A Single Hero Averts a Tragedy" ?

Partly.

The couple? Serious internal bleeding stemmed, dislocations, fractures. Medical terms. They survive. Rehabilitation is a long word. And but often the time is abundant to count all its letters and count them again..

A good police is subsequently recognised; commended [the couple both attend the ceremony]. Impossibly grateful, they speak to him after. He is not so young and but exceptionally magnanimous and in modesty refuses their many plaudits saying, "There are heroes everywhere and not in some semantically suspect fashion no, in the true sense. You did not submit," he says. "You did not surrender nor lie down. You persisted and you are both here. Sometimes heroes," he says, "do not know that they are heroes."


~~~~~~~~~~~


And I hope that makes sense? Sometimes heroism is apparent and indisputable and but sometimes heroes do not KNOW they are heroes. Are you? Have you had an easy life without a day's pain; without a day's anguish; without a moment's heartache, distress, loss, suffering? I would be surprised. And yet you are here. You overcome. You master. You surpass even what you thought you were capable of yourself. I think we are all heroes that is all.. and thank you for reading I am grateful.. Jenna xo

 

[Live True]

I think Brian posted a very fitting concept of heroes in a thread here, that would fit in with your lovely thoughts Jenna.

 

[Flea]

Jenna, I was going to give you a positive rep for this but the system wouldn't let me. Consider yourself repped. :asian:

And yes, I think everyone is a hero on some level because battles are relative. I have one friend who wages war with blindness and another with schizophrenia. I've fought tooth and nail with poverty, literally going hungry at times. There are also abuse situations where it can be a constant battle of wits. It goes on and on.

I'd also have to say the couple in your story are heroes. Not only did they fight back in the first place, but they persevered until help arrived. And now they're doing battle with their injuries. Not everyone would have the capacity to do that.

Thanks for your post. It's a good reminder of the potential we all carry.

 

[CoryKS]

I don't know that I would go so far as to consider someone a hero for saving their own life. I'd definitely respect their survival instinct, but it's not the same thing as stepping in on behalf of someone else.

 

[Jenna]

Yes Shana I had said earlier to Brian it was that exact post of his and which I think was wonderful that made me think of this I am sorry I should have referenced that and given credit to Brian I apologise I did not know if he would have wanted that.. And but I am glad that this was read because that makes me smile to think..

And Flea thank you so much.. I think you are absolutely right heroic behaviour is not always demonstrated on the "big stage" with an after-party and a fanfare as it were. And thus there are people like yourself if that is ok for me to say, and like lots of others who do not have everything so easy and yet persist and do not give up and maybe I am just telling myself what I need to hear and but you know I think it amazes me sometimes just how strong we all are..

And CoryKS yes I would not disagree with you no sir and but you know the extent of the difficulties that people are in is not always apparent. I think there exist situations in which it is easier NOT to survive than it is to survive. To someone who persists through that, against statistics or medical advice or are outnumbered, outfought by whatever, or whomever they are fighting, well just in my opinion I see that as heroic.. def: showing extreme courage; especially of actions courageously undertaken in desperation as a last resort. And but my point is just that perhaps we do not recognise heroic behaviour within ourselves nor do we give ourselves credit were we to act in such a way that is all I am trying to say and I think I am not saying it too well I am sorry..

And but my wishes and love to everyone Jenna xo