A Tribute to Everyday Heroes

In response to The Daily Post’s writing prompt: “Heroic.”

So, today’s Blogging101 assignment was to use a Prompt and make it personal. To be honest, I was a little confused on what to write about. Then I came across JustAverageTeenMe‘s post on heroes, and inspiration struck! Thank you Just Another Average Teen – you are so not average. 🙂

Dictionary.com defines Hero as “a person who, in the opinion of others, has heroic qualities or has performed a heroic act and is regarded as a model or ideal”. Well, Dictionary.com is entitled to its own opinion, however, mine is different. To me :

Hero is every woman who is fighting for her rights.
Hero is every woman who refuses to take life as it is handed to her.
Hero is every woman who dares to dream and be different than others.
Hero is every woman who raises her voice over her abusive husband/in-laws.
Hero is every woman fighting for her right to education.
Hero is every woman fighting in the man’s world to make it on her own.
Hero is every woman fighting for her right to equality.
Hero is every woman who is lending courage and support to another woman and helping her.
Hero is every woman who gives inspiration or courage to another in their time of need and in day-to-day life.
Hero is every woman who has thecourage to rise up above adversity and say “I won’t take your shit”.
Hero is every mother who refuses to abort her child just because her partner is too much of a wimp to take responsibility.

For in those women, others find inspiration, which lead to even more heroes, and in them we find our Everyday Heroes.

Before you think I am too biased (well, I am), I guess that comes from centuries of being oppressed. On top of that, I come from a society where nobody stops to tell a female child that she is not at par her brothers, and she shouldn’t be harboring dreams of a man (dreams of a man, seriously? Did men own those dreams?). I love my sisters, and no, all heroes need not necessarily be women.

Hero is every man who doesn’t behave like a prick to the women in his life and women in general.
Hero is every man who respects women.
Hero is every man who doesn’t think he can objectify a girl just because she’s wearing a short skirt and a figure hugging tank top.
Hero is every man who has doesn’t judge a girl on how pretty she is.
Hero is every man who has voiced, supported or fought for female rights.
Hero is every father who encourages his daughter to dream big and not let the world tell her dictate her life.
Hero is every husband who realises that his wife is just as likely to have her own dreams and doesn’t try to stomp on them.

For in those men, women find their courage and belief that the world is not all against them, and other men see their ideals…

If you think you are one of them, then well done, give yourself a pat on the back, because you deserve it and you are no less than an Everyday Hero. Everyone may not know your name, you might not be that rich, but people (whose lives you have touched) will look up to you and will find inspiration in you. And, I salute you!

So, who is your everyday hero?

(This is just a work-in-progress list. There are obviously more of them, but my sleep addled brain has stopped working right now. If you think I have missed out listing some of our everyday heroes, or feel I should add something do let me know and I will add them to the list.)

And a special mention to my good friend Anand’s post on women, Women: The Backbone of Our Community, because its a beautiful post on women and there cannot be enough of those.

Thank you for reading.

Stay Zingy!