KS&L 380 Superheroes Part 2 Where Are Today's Superheroes by Tina Erwin

       Frankly, I have no idea where today’s public superheroes are. Truly, I looked everywhere, all over the world and could find only one among today’s politicians, business, educational leaders and religious leaders.

       Everywhere I looked, all I found were public people with private agendas looking to glean power from every situation.

       Oh wait! I did find one person. He is the most amazing superhero I could find. Let me introduce you.

       This soul stood alone against the largest nation on earth with the greatest standing army on the planet.

       This man never raised a weapon in anger.

       Despite the total destruction of his country, they could not capture him, nor subjugate his sense of justice, truth and compassion.

       He prayed for his enemy despite the destruction of his own country.

       He is a tireless supporter of the weak, the fearful, and the lonely.

       He embraces every faith on this planet as beautiful.

       Every face he greets receives his blessing and his love.

       People who meet him are never the same. They feel the warmth of his power for a very long time.

       He says he was born on this planet, but perhaps he is ‘other-worldly’ because his sense of love and consideration defy description.

        He is, without question, the most universally respected human being on the planet today.

       What is his super power? I think perhaps I will have you read his belief, in his own words:

       “This is my simple religion.

       There is no need for temples

       No need for complicated philosophy,

       Our own brain, our own heart

       Is our temple.

       The philosophy is kindness.

                     Dalai Lama      

      

       The Dalai Lama would be the only superhero worthy of that name. Think about it, he is the only human being on earth today to ably resist all the temptations of the world, the oppression of the Chinese, the largest nation on earth, not to mention the disease du jour: greed. He serves all of humanity every day of the year through his daily spiritual practice. His message of love and service are the shining representation of all that is critically important in the description of any superhero. Consider how greatly the world would be diminished without him. His presence on our planet changes our planet for the better.

       Are there less public souls who fill some of the attributes of a superhero? Yes, they are the ones who, in the tradition of a superhero, send healing and hope to the world in the privacy of their own homes. Some people send prayers to this needy world through their religious organizations without prejudice, without anyone having to believe in their particular faith.

       Are there moms and dads out there who have overcome great odds to be where they are today? Absolutely! They are superheroes to their families. Are their souls who stand up for the less fortunate on a day-to-day basis? Yes, they do exist beyond the artificial television show or movie.

       If there were not a quiet phalanx of spiritual superheroes who live each day among us, the world would have descended into chaos and darkness quite a long time ago. Without them, life as we know it could not exist. The qualities of the day-to-day superhero include:
       The Passion of their beliefs

       Service

       Truthfulness

       Courage

       Hope

       Diligence

       Balance

       Unimpeachable ethics

       Kindness

       Physical, emotional, mental and spiritual strength

       These traits are critical for any merely mortal superhero. I know lots of seemingly ordinary superheroes. These are the unsung heroes who make life on this planet worth living, who gamble that doing the right thing will make a difference in the long run even if it is not popular in the short run. A superhero is someone who struggles along each day in quiet desperation at a job that he or she despises and still does the right thing, still does a good job.

       Let fear leave us because we have the knowledge that there are some super human beings out there who are doing a wonderful job for all of us even if we do not know them.

       I bet, that if you are reading this, you are a superhero in the modest sense to someone in your life, to someone who’s life you have touched. Please, keep up the good work. We need you.

This chapter is dedicated to my husband, to my children and their wonderful spouses, to all of my siblings, their spouses and their children and to my most precious friends. Thank you all for being my inspiration.