I am a huge fan of superheroes. I have superheroes in my office. I have superhero T-shirts and socks, posters, movies, action figures and so on and so on. I have lived the ultimate “geek experience” by attending Comic Con in San Diego with 175,000 of my closest “geek/nerd” friends. I have worn the same Halloween costume for the past 7 years (Captain America). 

I am a nerd/geek through and through (and proud of it). 

But lately I have been challenging myself to reflect on what it means to be a “hero.” I find this column also fitting in that we will soon be celebrating a feast in our church called All Saints Day. In our school we often identify these saints in our church as our true faith superheroes. Not because of the amazing miracles or any type of superpower, but more importantly because they lead good lives based on faith and morals, making good and wise decisions, and finally the ability to look at the needs of others before their own. As a teacher we hope that by exposing our students (and their families) to these holy people they will see the qualities they can aspire to, and work hard to be a “living saint” each and every day.

Who are your heroes? Who are the people you look up to? What makes them heroic to you? Well some people would come up with a variety of answers, it may be a hero from history such as Abraham Lincoln, Cesar Chavez or Rosa Parks. It may be a spiritual hero such as Jesus, Gandhi, or Martin Luther King Jr. It may be an author or artist who has moved you such as Maya Angelou, Claude Monet or Beethoven. Or finally it may be some athlete or star of show business such as Michael Jordan, Lady Gaga or any of our favorite Brewers players. All of these examples bring to light some wonderful people who have contributed so much to our society and history.

But I would like to have you ponder this thought … have you ever been a hero? That is an interesting thought (and probably not one that had ever entered your mind). Yes, it is true you can be a hero, and you are a hero each and every day.

Each and every day you wake up and take on a day, you are heroic. We all are faced with many things that weigh us down on a day-to-day basis. Work, bills, money issues and relationships are all complicated things that can sometimes bring us down from our aspirations to be a hero. My suggestion is this: take some time to think about yourself as a hero. Are you the hero … at the intersection? Grocery store? Walking around the Square? Could you be identified as the hero who holds the door open? Who smiles at their neighbors? Who says please and thank you? 

It is always said that actions speak louder than words. What heroic actions will you do today? Tomorrow? And through these heroic actions, who will you help? But most importantly, will you be that hero for your children, grandchildren, nieces, nephews and neighbors? It seems that all we see now is division in our communities and world. It is time for us to become the hero that our children need. The hero who goes out and works hard for each other and for our community. Someone who will put the needs of the greater good before their own. A person who stands up for what is right (even if they are standing alone). A reminder: It is not superpowers that make one a hero. 

St. Mother Teresa summed it up perfectly: “In this life we cannot do great things. We can only do small things with great love.” 

Go ahead — you don’t need a cape or a mask to be a hero. You need a heart full of love ready to help everyone you can. Go be heroic!

— Joe Peters is the principal at St. Victor School in Monroe. His column appears on the second Saturday of each month. He can be reached at joepeters@stvictormonroe.org.