I'm not gonna lie, this topic is a little overwhelming for me. As I sat down and began to write, I constantly kept thinking as if this post is not just an entry for a contest, but my responsibility (for some unknown reason) to appreciate the real heroes of this world.

I know that sounds kinda silly because appreciating someone is never a responsibility, but a kind gesture. Still, I feel like so often when I'm writing about something like this which I never think that I can write enough about.

For me, the real heroes of our world aren't just your typical heroes like soldiers or fathers or whatever, but also so many other people whose efforts are gone unnoticed. The definition of a hero in my dictionary is a rather simple one:

He who puts himself in danger or discomfort for the selfless purpose of saving others, not because it's necessarily his responsibility, but simply because it's the right thing to do, without expecting any reward and regardless of his own safety, is a true hero.

If you are able to save your friend who's suffering from depression from committing suicide, then you are a hero. If you are a single mother trying to give your child the best life you can even if it's destroying your own, you are a hero.

If you are helping your junior stand up against his bullies, again, you're a hero. If you are an artist who's become one of the reasons for someone to not lose hope in their life, then guess what? You are a fucking hero.

I could keep going, but you get the point. A hero isn't someone who advertises their good deeds. If they do, that's not a hero. That's a politician, or rather, a really smart businessman.

The Greater Good

Almost all of us get opportunities at different points in our lives to be a hero, to be better than who we are and to show the world that we care, even if it means revealing ourselves to our darkest fears and showing how broken we really are.

Look at any superhero movie, and you'll find the exact same reason why they all fight in the first place: the greater good. They fight not just to protect their family, but for a purpose greater than their own selves.

They realize how valuable our world really is, even if it is really shitty sometimes. As a kid, I remember my mom often used to tell me,

"Being a good human being, is the greatest success anyone has ever had and ever will have."

Though I didn't really understand what that meant as a kid, it definitely leaves me in tears sometimes now as a young adult who's stepping into the real world and is afraid to find himself.

I don't know if I should share this or not, but there were times in my family where we were having some big financial problems, and my mother started working just so she could help in the situation while also taking care of the house.

What amazes me the most, is that my mother is the first woman from her side of the family to ever have a job. I can't even imagine all the doubts and fear that were circling her head when she made that decision. That right there, is the truest and purest form of heroism I've ever seen in my life. Period.

Most of what's good in me, came from my mother. I've mentioned before how I love helping other people. This wasn't just a quality that I picked up out of nowhere. My mom taught me what kindness is and how important it is, especially now when the world seems more divided than ever.

The Savior And The Saved

For me, a lot of people fall under the category of a hero, and for good reasons. Most people tend to idealize the image of a hero as someone who can perform impressive tricks or who has incredible strength, but the more realistic image of a hero, is usually just a normal guy/girl trying to do good for the world.

I've been saved by a bunch of people who I now consider to be heroes in disguise, and by "saved" I mean that they have helped me get back on my feet in my darkest times when I completely lost all hope for myself.

My favorite artists, including Chester Bennington from Linkin Park for whom I wrote a tribute on his 1st death anniversary, are some of the most influential people in my life.

All these artists who speak from the heart, who let out their true selves even if they might be scared, just so their fans can feel like they belong somewhere, means just... so damn much to me.

I honestly can't express how many times I've felt heard and understood because of artists like these. For me, they too, are the real heroes of the world because they give us something so precious that all of us need: hope.

I might be talking crap right now, I don't know, but what I do know is that all of this is coming straight from my heart. Imagine losing one of your heroes from your life, someone you thought you can go back to when you've lost and are hurt.

Try feeling how emotionally damaging and haunting it would feel like. I have felt that way before and I can tell you, that feeling is definitely not easy to deal with. For a moment, you get so overwhelmed that you literally can't believe it and think it might just be a bad dream.

But then you slowly accept it, and instead of trying to avoid it because it hurts, you start walking the path your saviour showed you, while saving others on the way too.

This is how you become a hero. This is what it means. To save someone, but also teaching them how to save themselves, because you know you won't be around forever but want to do the most you possibly can before you fade away.

Related articles:

• Remembering Chester Bennington On His Death Anniversary
• Why Kindness Is A Contagious Superpower
• Why Do Nice People Act So Evil Sometimes?
• Why Is It So Hard To Hate Movie Villains Sometimes?

Continue reading:

• The Beauty Of Meeting A Special Someone - How Strangers Become Our Family
• Is Romantic Love Superior Than Other Kinds Of Love?
• The Rise Of Over-Equalization Of Genders - Why Men And Women Can't Be Fully "Equals"
• Above And Away - Sharing One Of My Hiding Spots
• Why Honesty Is Not Always The Best Policy - When And When Not To Be Honest

---

Follow Me: @ayushjalan