Every Day Hero

The world is full of every day heroes, people who live their lives to the fullest with a smile on their faces even though they're battling something that might bring most of us to our knees.  Valerie Harper, a 50+ T.V. actress who is battling lung cancer and who doctors thought wouldn't survive the summer, is going to perform on Dancing With The Stars.  She is one tough lady who should be admired for her fortitude.

Anyone who hasn't battled something serious in their lives is not a fully formed human being.  It takes engaging in the battle and coming through stronger at the end that makes us better people.  We're always stronger than we think we are and having our mettle tested and surviving it will prove we'll be able to handle any crisis that occurs later in life.

Valerie Harper has always been a likeable lady but I never would have expected how strong she has turned out to be.  I guess it's another instance of not judging a book by it's cover.  I hope she does well in DWTS, doesn't tire herself too much, and enjoys the experience immensely.  I'm going to be watching and rooting for her.

Her story made me think of all the every day heroes each and every one of us come in contact with daily.  My "sort of cousin/friend", Donna, takes care of her severely handicapped daughter at home.  She's going to be surprised that she's one of my heroes but it's true.  I know many people who are care givers to a family member or even a friend.  There are so many good and giving people all around us who don't think of themselves as heroes but that's what they are.  We all have people close to us who are living their lives with life threatening diseases but who carry on cheerfully.  It does the heart good to know that the bad people on this earth are just a tiny minority.

There's a saying that we should never judge a person too harshly because we don't know the battles they're fighting.  They might just be an every day hero who has had an exceptionally difficult day.