Hero: Civil Disobedience and Heroes

If I ask you to list some heroes in your heart, I bet you can list a lot. Yes, there are many heroes near or distant from us, but if I ask you “what is a hero?” what would you say? It is kind of hard to give a definition, isn’t it? If you go by the dictionary, it says a hero is a person distinguished by courage, noble deeds, outstanding achievements, and so on. I won’t say I disagree with that, but it misses something here. To be a hero, you do need to be brave to make differences, but you also need a full-love heart.

What is the first characteristic for heroes? Brave, of course. Brave enough to do the things that others can’t or won’t dare to do, to fight. In the story “Beowulf” the epic hero goes on quests to show he had courage, strength, and virtue. Beowulf tries to make a difference, and that is another characteristic of a hero. All of the things Beowulf did, were not done because he wanted to be a hero or show how great he was, but because of love. Beowulf had a kind heart and that is how he always won battle after battle.

In my country, there are also many heroes. For me, one of the greatest heroes is Martin Luther King Jr.; he was a great preacher and prominent leader in the African-American Civil Rights Movement. He is best known for his role in the advancement of civil rights using nonviolent civil disobedience. Even though he is greatly known for being nonviolent, he was assassinated. This great person died like that. The whole-love heart inside him also was gone with his death.

Heroes aren’t all famous. Many of them aren’t known by others at all, these are called “unsung heroes.” Everyone has unsung heroes in their heart. My unsung hero, is not others, but my mother. How much a mother will do for her children, everyone knows that. My mom, like many others is a struggling, dedicated woman. She has been through many things, and all are because she wants a brighter future for her children. One day, when she thinks I can handle myself very well in this world, she will give me my freedom. That’s the love of a mother. I owe her everything. Some people say that mother’s love is everywhere so it becomes cheap. I don’t understand! How can mother’s love be cheap? All the things my mother has done for me, has it been easy? Of course not!

Whoever the heroes are, they all have a full-love heart. Their courage helps them make a difference. There are many famous heroes around the world, but compared to them, you should think more about the people around you, the unsung heroes that you know and don’t know. Think about what you should do, for the people and the world.