Anyone can be a hero
Does my grandma count?
Everyone has a hero or someone they’ve looked up to during their childhood. Maybe they didn’t become the role models they intended to be for us, but they were what we had. Whether we realized it at the time or not, we’ve had heroes around us our entire lives.
It doesn’t take Black Panther, Wonder Woman or Superman to save people and make a positive change in their lives.
As I look back on those who tried to be a positive influence during my childhood, my aunt is the first person who comes to mind. My aunt’s super traits are her confidence and her ability to make sure her family comes first. She didn’t care how up to date her own style was; she did the best she could to keep her children well-groomed and dressed. You could immediately tell my cousins ate well and were cared for. My brothers and I still talk about the birthday and Christmas gifts she gave to us. I’ve always admired her for that, even though I hated when she disciplined me.
To this day, I still believe my aunt’s greatest superpower was her spankings. Anytime my cousins and I misbehaved, it was her spankings that kept us in line. I didn’t understand my mom’s and my aunt’s generation. Their number one saying was, “A hard head makes a soft ass.” Here I sit, in all my soft glory, thinking back on the many ways my aunt tried to show up and save me from me.
Whenever we went out to play, we weren’t supposed to cross certain boundary lines, especially without asking for permission. As kids, that’s exactly what we did. We wanted to explore more of the neighborhood and see what was out there. Of course, we were in so much trouble when we got back. Back then, I didn’t understand how concerned she was for our safety and welfare — I thought she was just another overbearing family member.
Upon reflection, it was easy to consider my aunt as a hero. I wish I paid more attention to the messages she tried to give me. At the time, we viewed spankings as a harsh punishment for not listening to our family’s stupid rules. As an adult, it’s easy to see that my aunt wanted better for me. She reminded me to be easy on myself. I didn’t understand it then, but I get it now. This revelation led me to ask a few of my peers about their hero and the super traits they possess.
“My heroes are my peers, Stacy and Katie,” said resident Rebecca Braswell. When I asked Braswell about her peer’s super traits, the words confidence, self-esteem, knowledge, and emotional intelligence came to her with ease. “Plus, they have the patience to deal with me!” Braswell said with a laugh. “That’s very important.”
But how have these traits made a significant impact in her life? Braswell said she uses these traits to be an advocate for those who feel they don’t belong.
For resident Janessa Kic, there’s no one who can out-cook her biggest hero. “It’s my grandma. She was an amazing cook. You could have the worst day and when you smell her food, all you feel is loved.” Kic also acknowledged that her grandma inspires her to pay it forward. “Being as supportive as she was, I remind people of how strong and resilient they are,” she said.
After recognizing the way that family has tried to show up in their lives, many people named a family member as their number one hero.
“I’ve seen my mom’s struggles and everything she tried to accomplish,” said resident Monica Vasquez as she cast a light on her mother’s heroism. “My mom is powerful and she’s been through her own trauma, too.” Vasquez’s message is to inspire others not to take life for granted, spreading the word that “while we sit here, we have to want something else.”
Central California Women’s Facility Fire House resident Shalana Buycks had her father in mind when asked about her hero. As she battles obstacles as a first responder and firefighter, Buycks remembers her dad setting goals and not making excuses. “No matter the obstacle, he takes every challenge as a lesson,” she said. Buycks encourages others to “just keep swimming until you make it to shore, even when you feel like giving up.”
In a world where hurt people hurt people, it’s important to remember the second part to this message: Healed people heal people. As we make better choices, take the time to reflect on the positive messages others tried to imprint onto you. What can you do to be a hero for someone else?
