For me, my hero is (are) my kids. They amaze me everyday. I have a lot of stories, but I'll just share one:
My oldest son, Travis, has always been athletic, but sports hasn't always come easy. His biggest obstacle is his own mental toughness. If he played well, he was very excited. If he made a mistake, he was devastated. Each game was a test to see if he could overcome the voices in his own head.
I distinctly remember one baseball game where Travis was pitching in the last inning. We were ahead by one run and only had to keep the other team from scoring. With two outs left, Travis walked a couple of players and gave up a hit. The bases were loaded.
When the next batter came up, we knew this was it...do or die. Travis had lost his composure and was struggling on the mound. He threw the first pitch...ball one. He threw the second pitch...ball two. Then it got worse. Some of the friends he had who played on the opposing team started making fun of him from their dugout: "He's done!" "We're gonna win this thing." "He's got nothing left. Keep throwing Travis...you're the best player WE got."
Travis threw another pitch...ball three. I could see that he was beginning to tear up. He didn't want to walk in the tying run, let alone the winning run. I could see that he was battling every feeling of self-doubt in his head. I thought he was going to lose it right there on the mound.
Suddenly, Travis turned his back to the plate and knelt down behind the mound. I wasn't sure what he was doing. My assistant coach told me to go out and check on him. I knew he was under a lot of pressure, but he wasn't looking at me (he would look at me when he wanted help...oh by the way...I was coaching). Then, just as quick as he had turned before, he got up and faced the batter. Something was different.
He threw another pitch...right down the middle...strike one. He got the ball back and went into his windup...strike two. One more pitch to make. He was so focused, I didn't dare say anything to break his concentration. He threw the third pitch, the batter swung...strike three.
When the umpire called the final out, you could see the mix of elation and relief come over Travis. I was in awe. I had never seen one of my kids overcome such a tense moment and deliver like that. I was so proud of him - not because we won the game (that is cool, but not the point), but because he was able to find the courage to do his best in the midst of a lot of pressure.
Do you have a hero?
I discovered a website called The Foundation For A Better Life. It contains a lot of inspiration in the form of stories, quotes, and examples of people who are heroes. This is what they say:
HEROES. PEOPLE DO EXTRAORDINARY THINGS EVERY DAY. THEY SHARE THEIR TIME, RESOURCES, OR LOVE. THEY SHOW INCREDIBLE STRENGTH AND COURAGE. THEY INSPIRE US BY THEIR EXAMPLE. HERE ARE TRUE STORIES ABOUT REAL-LIFE HEROES, WRITTEN BY VISITORS TO THE SITE. YOU CAN ALSO SHARE A STORY OF YOUR OWN HERO.
You can read about a lot of cool heroes at their site. Go to The Foundation For A Better Life - Heroes Page
Who is your hero?
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