Comic Con might be over but that doesn’t mean that we have to hang up our superhero capes. Carrying along the message of hope, superheroes are most important in everyday lives.
Superheroes are defined not by the capes that they wear, the symbol on their chest, or the weapons they carry. Rather, Superheroes are defined by their compassionate actions towards others ~ Shadow Quill
One of the reasons why so many people are attracted to Superheroes is because of what they represent: someone who is kind, compassionate, and someone who selflessly follows his or her values for the good of others. While Superheroes traditionally are known to fight “the bad guys” in order to protect the world, there is also the other kind of Superheroes out there, the kind that we can all be.
Superheroes are defined not by the capes that they wear, the symbol on their chest, or the weapons they carry. Rather, Superheroes are defined by their compassionate actions toward others. It’s true that Batman is associated with the bat symbol, while Superman is pictured as wearing a red cape with a giant letter S on the front of a blue costume. However, what makes these Superheroes stand out are their actions and morals – no matter what it takes, Superheroes are known to fight for what they believe is right, to help those in need, and to instill hope.
While they don’t always wear flashy capes, there are everyday superheroes living among us. Their contributions are selfless and heroic, such as this fireman, who rescued a helpless kitty from a fire.
Superhero actions are not necessarily exclusive to life threatening situations. For example paying for someone’s meal when they are hungry or giving someone a hug when they need it most are (at least in my belief) also Superheroic actions. Click here for some other examples of Superheroic compassionate acts.
Superheroes really come to life during a time of crisis. I personally witnessed countless acts of Superheroism in New York on 9/11. Stories, such as that of several heroes carrying a handicapped woman down dozens of flights of stairs, warm our hearts. We saw more acts of Superheroism after Sandy, where restaurants were distributing free food and those with electricity brought countless extension cords outside to allow their neighbors and random strangers to charge their phones, so that they would be able to communicate with their loved ones.
What do Superheroes mean to us? They inspire hope, encourage us to overcome struggles, inspire us to be kind to others. For little kids, Superheroes can inspire hope and help them persevere through difficult medical procedures. For example, a New York City teacher, Tim Manley discusses how believing himself to be a superhero and being aided by his sidekick mother helped him get through a difficult hospital stay.
Parents, doctors, nurses, and kind strangers can become Superheroes themselves in encouraging the children to follow the example of their favorite Superheroes in helping the children fight battles with childhood illnesses. One such Superhero is Robyn Rosenberg, who started a Tiny Superheroes project where she sends out handmade superhero capes to children battling life-threatening illnesses. Sometimes, the entire family will form a Superhero team by wearing matching capes in support of the child.
Film maker Brett Culp is making an inspiring documentary, called Legends of the Knight, which is all about what the Caped Crusader (i.e., Batman) means to others and how he continues to inspire us. Culp was inspired by his son, who was having some challenges in kindergarten, when a counselor told Culp and his wife that his son will never succeed in life. Culp wished to paint a different picture, one of his son wearing a superhero costume, defined by his strengths, rather than by his limitations. He began interviewing people who were touched or inspired by Superheroes, such as Batman and put together a film that is impossible to watch without a box of tissues. He mentions a man who voluntarily dresses up as Batman in order to inspire children to keep fighting cancer. He also interviewed a man whose little girl went missing and who found himself overwhelmed with gratitude when local children, inspired by the Petaluma Batman, began putting up fliers to help him find her. The documentary is scheduled to be released in the fall of 2013 and is a must-see.
How you can be a Superhero today.
It doesn’t take Bruce Wayne’s millions, Superman’s alien powers, or Spidey’s senses to become a Superhero. In fact, there are Superheroic things you can do every day. Here are some ideas:
- Smile. It may sound strange but when people go through very rough times, sometimes as simple of a gesture as a smile can brighten up their day
- Offer to help someone with carrying heavy bags or a baby carriage
- Send someone a silly postcard to brighten up their day
- Bring flowers to a retirement home and distribute them to the residents
- Cook a meal and bring it to a homeless shelter
- Help/encourage someone in pursuing their dreams
- Call a friend just to say hello, it sounds simple, but many of us don’t do it
- Send someone a letter to say how much they mean to you (you can change someone’s life by doing this)
- Write a thank you letter to a waitress/waiter that you had at a restaurant
- Listen to someone’s story
- Get something for someone you know, just because
- Send a warm letter to a veteran or an active duty soldier
- Donate books or games to hospitals
- Offer a free service of something you do to people who need it
- Offer free hugs
The list is endless, so put on your imaginary (or actual) Superhero costume and take steps to change the world. Batman shows us that it only takes one person to make a difference. People like Robyn Rosenberg show us that you do not have to have Superpowers to be a Superhero.
Happy Superheroing!
Warmly,
Shadow Quill