Whitney Who?!

While I rarely ever post or leave messages on FB (Facebook), after reading many of the comments on this particular post, I felt moved to share my thoughts. Let’s start off with the “subject”…HEROES. A “hero” as described in the dictionary is:

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:

With that being said, every day “unsung heroes” die around us…grandparents, parents, siblings, friends, co-workers, associates, acquaintances….never getting the true recognition that they deserve or that we believe they deserve. We EACH have a purpose on this planet. Not everyone was destined to be on the frontlines of a battlefield in a foreign country to defend our liberties. Some were destined to be nurses and doctors to aid our troops back to health after receiving injuries. Some were destined to be psychologists to assist in their mental health after experiencing the devastating effects of war. Some, entertainers who encourage and inspire through song and/or acting while creating a much needed and welcome distraction from the daily chaos and/or mental pressures they face from choosing to serve our country. Whatever the gift(s) we possess, there is a hero in each one of us.

There have been countless individuals who have fought overseas and here in our own country for our moral, political and civil liberties. While honor and recognition have been awarded to only a few, in comparison, many stories go unheard of and unrecognized such as the mothers who nurture and instill a sense of humanity in their children…fathers who cultivate courage and fortitude in their children to stand up against injustice, both at home and abroad… teachers who implant knowledge and understanding so that individuals can have a direction and choose wisely in life…mentors who encourage, uplift and redirect that well-intentioned someone who has gone astray. ALL are heroes in their own right and without their influences, the heroes we know of today wouldn’t be the heroes they have come to be…veterans and entertainers alike.

So, let us not devalue either the lives of our entertainers or the positive influence he/she has had on society by asking the question, “Whitney Who?” “Michael Who?” “Amy Who?” While every entertainer may not have had the “perfect life”, if any, I would dare to say neither do our war heroes. We should strive to highlight and encourage the good in others therefore creating an even stronger desire in those individuals to give the best of themselves. The value of life is equal in ALL mankind, regardless of occupation, ambition or adversity.

For those who find it necessary to shine a spotlight on Whitney’s addictions (on anyone’s perceived failures, for that matter), only lends me to believe that their doing so is in hopes of distracting others from seeing their own shortcomings. Let us not judge ‘til we have walked a mile in the shoes of those who we are tempted to discredit.

I would like to share an analogy… The heart is a major organ which pumps the source of life throughout our entire body. We place a great deal of importance on this organ, and rightfully so. However, without the lungs, the blood will not have the necessary oxygen in the blood to sustain life. Without our nostrils, the lungs will not be able to receive the oxygen that it needs to distribute into the blood stream and to our brains. Without our brains, our hearts and lungs will not know what to do in order to sustain life. We can see that our muscles, eyes, stomach and parts we don’t even know exist within us all play a vital role in the harmonious flow of the body working as “one unit” though consisting of many parts. So it is with everyday life. We need our teachers, laborers, soldiers, entertainers, researchers… and the list goes on and on…each a hero in their own right. Without any one of them, there would be an unbalance.

Now, in my humble opinion, a REAL hero is anyone who gives of themselves to improve the quality of life of someone else. If there is ANYONE you feel is worthy of such acknowledgement for being a hero, then do something about it. Don’t wait for the media or anyone to wave that torch of recognition. Get others who feel and believe the same to join forces with you so more people can become aware and be inspired by that/those individual(s). We should mourn the loss of EVERY life, while celebrating the legacy they leave behind.

Written by: T. Donovan Simons

(c) 2012 - Taken From "The Inner Voice"

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