WANTED: HERO

Married Mom seeking true hero and role-model for young children. Must adhere to a strong sense of morals and exhibit obvious integrity while always exercising common sense and above all, will not disappoint.

Tall order, eh?

Reading a recent issue of Men's Health has me all up in mental arms. In an informally reported survey regarding men and their heroes, the average man defines heroism as: "Doing what's right, regardless of personal consequences," performing acts that may include "tending to car accident victims and saving a person from drowning." This is all well and good, if not a tad optimistic, however, the alarming point of this article is that a whopping 54% of men consider professional athletes among their heroes. What is wrong with this picture?

According to Dictionary.com, the top definitions of 'hero' are as follows:

1. a man of distinguished courage or ability, admired for his brave deeds and noble qualities.
2. 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: He was a local hero when he saved the drowning child.

Where in the heck has this major disconnect of an athlete equating a hero come from?! Surely this is not a new idea, as generations of children (and now men) grew up idolizing the likes of Muhammad Ali and Michael Jordan - though neither living up to the definition of 'hero'. But now, in a time and generation with the likes of T.O. (who probably couldn't even save himself - hence the VH1 looking for love reality show), Tom Brady (griping over a lesser multi-million dollar contract as he doles out his sperm like candy) and Tiger Woods (as if I even need to comment), it's increasingly disturbing that men, grown men(!), are reporting professional athletes as having hero qualities. Furthermore, no doubt instilling this idea in their kids! How sad. How infuriating. How backward!

As I face the challenges of growing a boy into a man, though thankfully not without my male counterpart, I take these things a whole heck of a lot more seriously.

Growing up, I never had a 'hero' role-model. Maybe it's being a girl, or maybe having a less than average father, the whole thing seems bunk. Don't get me wrong, I hold the utmost respect for authority, religion, and our service men - both public and military, but the idea of a hero seems comic book and foreign to me. And now, an issue larger than ever as we parent and attempt to navigate a society of less-than-worthy idolatry and ever loosening moral standings. Kids don't much read comics anymore either, spending more and more time on video games where the main character is more likely a thug than a superhero. Those simpler times are clearly no more.

I think we, as a society, are a little quick to toss around the idea of 'hero' admiration and it should be reserved for those truly noble few who can actually hold up to the scrutiny of the definition. I'm not feeling the need to push my kids into defining their hero. If anything, I'm finding more reason to strongly reject it.

As I ponder this and reflect on how to instill in my children the morals and values of humanity that I most admire and appreciate, I can find reassurance in not only my faith, but in a fireman. The one I'm married to. Now he is one who truly saves others without consideration of self. One who truly shows selflessness and pure heart. One who makes a fraction of the salary as our socially popular athletes.

A true hero, though he'd never admit it. Which really makes him more of one, I'd say.