Thursday, June 10, 2010

A Hero Is......

 "A hero is someone who has given his or her life to something bigger than oneself."--Joseph Campbell.

There are many heroes in this world, many people who have selflessly given of their life and their time to something much bigger than themselves.  Our soldiers who fight for our freedom are heroes.  The volunteers who are working right now at the gulf are heroes. Our fireman, our police officers, are heroes. On 9/11 we saw many heroes.  Yes, they all truly are heroes...and there are so many more that the list could go on and on.  I am truly thankful for each and every one of them...

I've been reading "2012 and the Galactic Center: The Return of the Great Mother" by Christine R. Page, MD.  It's one of those books that I start and stop, only to pick up months later and start again.  I've never been able to make it through the book.  Not that it's boring; don't get me wrong,  it's not.  It's just that something always seems to come up and I end up putting the book down. So, I've picked it up again and after skimming over what I read before to brush myself up, I have come to a chapter called "The Hero's Journey".  I wanted to share a little of what I read.

According to Joseph Campbell, the hero lies within us all. It is that part of us that will step out courageously and enter into the unknown; it is that part of us that enjoys adventure, overcomes whatever obstacles are placed before us, and strives toward commitment.  The truth is, heroic acts do not always follow stereotyped patterns....especially when we view them from our soul's perspective.  In fact, courage comes in many forms...and the spiritual purpose behind our actions may lie hidden from our conscious awareness.  The author, Christine Page, provides a number of examples of which I have chosen the following few:
  • The black sheep of the family who owns the darkness that the the other members of the family may experience the light.
  • The strict and aggressive parent who, on a soul level, encourages his/her offspring to stand up and be strong in their own right.
  • The mentally ill sibling who possesses the chaos in order to bring stability to the rest of the family.
  • The absent parent who chooses not to adversely effect the decisions of his/her children.   
Although I know not all of you may believe in reincarnation, but I believe this is an interesting concept in regards to those family roles that simply defy explanation...such as, "Why does one become the 'black sheep' when they have all of the same opportunities as their siblings?"  In fact, while reading this chapter, I began to think about my own family...my mom and dad who had always been so cold and unemotional.  They were always so wrapped up in their own lives that they never had any time for me, and I grew up literally raising myself. In today's world, it would have been considered neglect to have a 9 year old child taking care of herself.  I loved them, but I didn't like them, and I vowed that I would not grow up to be like them...and, I didn't.  In fact, I grew up to care so much and wanting to do so much for others, that there were those who crossed my path who took advantage of me...There were many who did, but I never lost my 'heart'..no matter how many times I was hurt.


I made sure that my children never suffered the way I did.  I was always there for them...helping with homework...participating in activities. They were never alone.  The cycle of loneliness was broken. After reading "The Hero's Journey" last night, I began to question..."Was my parents coldness, their distance and lack of love deliberately chosen prior to my birth?  Prior to their birth? Was this what they chose so that I might learn how to live and love?  Did they deliberately hide their love so that I might learn to stand up and be strong?
We're they, in fact, heroes? Can you imagine what courage it takes to be the one who is resented or plays the part of being docile so that another soul can grow?   Interesting concept.  


Think back over your own life and ask yourself, "Who was my greatest teacher?"

8 comments:

  1. I must get this book.

    Thanks so much for this beautifully informative and thought provoking post.

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  2. Wondeful post. :)
    We are all heros. We go through life with it's few ups and truly happy moments, and many downs and hardships. And yet, we are willing to wake up every morning to start it all over again.

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  3. This is a really powerful post. My mother comes to mind, who I used to think was weak and dull because she never wanted any more for her life than her mundane existence with her husband and home.

    But my version of mundane and hers are entirely different, and we do not all have to go out to seek ourselves. She just always found a way to be at peace with what she had. I can now see how strong she is.

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  4. As I look back the heros I observed in combat were the one's you lest expected. Bravado is not part of what a hero is.
    I think my greatest teacher, actually was a teacher. My highschool english teacher, Mr. Cox. He taught me more about life than anyone I've met along the way. X.

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  5. I have had many teachers in life. I don't know if I could pinpoint one. My father also was one not to show emotion. But my mother did - very much. I could not connect with my dad. But now that he's across the Veil, my connection to him is strong. Maybe he taught me something about spirituality.

    Soul-searching is important work, and you write straight from the heart. Thank you for sharing with us.
    Blessings

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  6. Unsung heroes... my favorites! Sounds like a very interesting book, one that would open a portal and bring a sense of "Aha! so that's what it meant!" Your observations are always deep and full of wisdom. Thank you, and thank you for stopping by and leaving heartfelt comments. Hope you have a great weekend, xo

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  7. I think everyone is someones hero is some way. I still remember an older couple that lived next door to us when I was about five. We would sit under a weeping willow tree eating ice cream in the summer and long walks downtown. She was always so much fun, we always did something fun with her. Ever eat an ice cream cone from the bottom up. She taught us to be silly, to have real fun. Wishing you a weekend filled with sunshine!

    (((HUGS)))

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  8. Wow...what a powerful post this is. I'm going to have to mull it over for a while. Thanks for giving me something to think about.

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