You are a hero--act like one.

Have you ever felt that your life was a novel? And there you are, the hero or heroine of it, but you are not feeling much like a hero or heroine. Because what does a hero do? He (or she) saves the day, right? They behave as if no danger is too much for them to take care of, no villain too evil for them to vanquish. And they do it as if it is the stuff of every day. To the observer, it does not seem as if they are breathing hard, or as if their heart is beating faster, or as if they are experiencing fear. For the hero (or heroine), fear is just not part of the program. But for us regular folks, fear is a part of our everyday existence. Well, as I grow older and wiser, I realize that I have but to look around myself at any gathering of people, and all I see are heroes. And why do I feel this way? Because I am coming to realize that we are all the heroes of our own novel. There are so many old sayings that recognize that life is not really that “bowl of cherries” from that old, old song. “Into each life, a little rain must fall”. For some, it seems like a drizzle, and for others, a downpour, intermittent showers or even a veritable flood. But we all get wet. Some of us put on a raincoat and continue on our way, and some take shelter in a doorway, but in the end we all have to deal with it, and that dealing is what makes us all heroes. Sure, some deal better than others, some have support, some resort to things that in the short term make the problem worse, but we all have to deal. So today, I am having intermittent showers. Too bad I can’t transfer that to the outside where the weather is so dry that the wild creatures in my yard are coming to the pool to drink. But I am dealing with it, if not like Superman or Wonder Woman, I am being the heroine of my own life. I am meeting the lumps and bumps of life with a positive, appreciative attitude and helping those around me to see the sunnier side to whatever we have to deal with. I am fortunate to have great friends and the best family who are supportive whenever I need them. What could be better than that? Of course the answer that leaps to the lips is “not to have any lumps or bumps”, but that is not only unrealistic in this imperfect world of ours, it is also uninteresting, and it doesn’t help us to grow. If you just sailed along, what would you learn about overcoming adversity? If there was never a bump in the road, would you know to slow down when you saw one ahead so that you could either navigate around it or slow down to take it easier over the top? So while I hope that the road will always be smooth before you, I know that it won’t, so I share with you what I have learned. Take it easy. Being too serious about the rain means that you are not appreciating that the flowers are being watered, and the tomatoes as well, which means both beauty and food. Also, be mindful that every ending is a new beginning (my new favorite saying), so be on the lookout for all that there is to learn, all that there is to experience, and all that you have inside you that proves that you are the hero of your own life.