Chapter 19, Verse 3: Why "Hero?"

Happy Friday Space Travelers. I'm getting off a 7 day long work bender which had me waking up at 4:15AM everyday. I am not a morning person, and if you know me, then you can validate this claim. I manage every morning to wake up and make it to work on time. Some people are surprised that I can do it (because they know how much I love sleep and how goddamn lazy I can be). I'm not disciplined, but I am dedicated; I won't let my team down.

So I've been doing some internal reflection lately, and some thinking about the title of this blog.

There Goes Our Hero.

Maybe I never explained fully why I named it that. Perhaps some just assumed I thought very highly of myself. The truth is that I wanted to name the blog something thematic for my huge road trip over the last summer. I think I was listening to the Foo Fighters too that day.

I was severely down on myself around April 2007 after failing to get a internship. I felt somewhat hopeless and I decided that I I needed to rescue myself. Before I left on my trip I realized that in planning my trip I had captivated the interest of many of my friends or school associates. Many of them had similar disappointments in trying to find work. When I became aware of this, I concluded that the adventure was not just about me. I represented to many the ability to take charge of the their own life and make it as exciting as they want. '

As an engineering student, it was too easy to become over concerned with career goals, and not about life goals outside of the job. I had become so obsessed with finding a job, that I didn't even realize that I had stopped doing my art, stopped doing dance, and stopped trying new things. Somehow, I had let myself be convinced that these things weren't important.

They are.

I drew for while the other day. I felt good. I sang the other night. I heard my voice. I played my music loud and danced around in my hall, I felt free. I'll never have those kinds of feelings from any job in my life no matter how much I enjoy it or find it important. It's important to be wild and free.

However, there is another reason. My dear friend Jon Leek, a man I consider a brother, told me that I was one of his heroes. I had heard this once before when I was younger from another friend Eric. Being told something like this moves something in your heart. It's an incredible responsibility.

You can be a hero too. Perhaps you already are. It doesn't necessarily come from great acts of bravery, we can be heroes for many reasons. Think of...

Great acts of Love
Great acts of Compassion
Great acts of Integrity
Great acts of Generosity
Great acts of Forgiveness

What acts will you be remembered for Space Travelers?