My Heroes

For a long time I've adhered to a classical/literary defintion of hero- one who endangers himself or encounters adversity for the benefit of others (not that I've looked it up lately).  For that reason, athletes are usually not heroes to me, or the President of the US, or most famous people.  Lately, with some of the sadness around me, I've been thinking about my own list of heroes.

Of course, Rondo, and the other BCD dogs (and other dogs with problems and disabilities come to mind, maybe dogs in general).  Their existence is to please their humans.  Rondo, for example, must have had great pain, and had his share of trouble, but he was always there to way his tail and lick my ear.  These animals, by their nature, take their adversity in their stride and don't let it define their lives.  They are heroes.

My friends and the countless others I have know who deal with cancer in their lives.  Because this has been on my mind lately, I want to write about them.

Clara Shwartz, my mother's friend-- that in itself is heroic because it took drawing my mother out, making an effort to talk to her and go out to lunch with her.  I don't know that she got anything in return for her efforts.  After Clara was diagnosed with cancer, she tried to remain positive, although she admitted she was scared.   Clara carried on with her life, as my realtor, taking me to see houses when the effort exhausted her.  At the time, I saw a pushy realtor.  Now I think of a hero.

This is unfinished...