Many people have said it and many people have heard it;
“heroes are the ordinary people who make themselves extraordinary.” It is
simple, yes, but also so completely true that it is hard to find a fault in
such a belief. I have grown up under the guidance of people I still view as
heroes simply because I think they are extraordinary. For a lot of us, our
parents are our heroes. Students are so inspired by their teachers and
professors that they too become educators in adulthood. Meanwhile, our youthful
innocence is congested with hopeless dreams of flying like Superman or saving
civilians like Batman. No matter your age, heroes are unquestionably a part of
our lives.
I have worked as a camp counselor for quite some time over
my summer vacations and the stories I can recollect are infinite. But, this
summer was different. Though on the surface I probably appeared to be as goofy
as I usually was or exhausted from the constant beatings campers inflict on my
body, I was secretly admiring one camper in particular. John C. is a
rising 2nd grader about to experience life in a new school and feels
just as much anxiety and excitement that comes with a change in environment as
any other normal kid. He is passionate about math and loves the color green.
John is also autistic and so, is very special. With his condition come
obsessive behaviors over ideas, beliefs, or things. Interestingly, he loves
toilets and all things related to plumbing and also Abraham Lincoln and
anything associated with his name.
During all of my weeks at camp I was lucky to meet many new,
young faces full of vivacious spirits but John was so memorable for too many
great reasons. Though autistic, he is brilliant and extremely bright. Even if
he tended to abruptly interrupt your conversations or reading time, he was at
least always doing so with a contagious happy attitude. It was never easy to be
strict or upset with him as biased as that may make me sound. During our weekly
trip to the beach in Week 4 I was instructing the campers to be quiet as we
listened to the rules. Initially, it was hard to get John to stop interrupting
that is until I learned to compromise.
As I said earlier, John loves toilets and all things
associated with them. Therefore, he is infatuated with drains. As he started to
get overly excited and disruptive while listening to the beach rules, I calmly
sat next to him and placed my hands over his frantic arms that he incessantly
swings when energized and said, “I will make you a promise.” He quickly asked,
“WHAT?” to which I said, “I will allow you to show me a drain near the beach if
you promise me that you will stay quiet.” His smile warmly spread from
ear-to-ear and he graciously looked up at me and whispered, “You know Matthew,
you are good. You are great.” He then gently patted his arm over my shoulder
and we turned to listen.
Okay sure, maybe a hero is someone who is not ordinary but
extraordinary. But, are the qualities or actions that make those heroes
extraordinary distinct? Do you have to save someone’s life? Does a hero have to
be widely recognized? I like to think not to all the above. A hero can be
someone who compromises when situations can be difficult and rewards a child
with something he so dearly loves. Then again, a hero can be someone who smiles
as much as they can at their mentors and is always willing to be a friend to
anyone.
When John smiled and put his arm up around me, for the first
time I think I saw my cousin, Anne. Most importantly, I think I understood her
relationship with Dylan. I saw care and generosity in the purest of forms. She was a hero to him and he was a hero
to her in both life and death. What Anne did was heroic that day but I think
the both of them were each other’s idols long before that. A hero could emerge
through a smile, a laugh, or even a bedtime story. You have your heroes who you
admire but I want you to recognize that you may be a hero too. John, you taught
me so much and I will never forget that heroic smile. Nor can I forget our
trips to the drains and bathrooms in which you heroically taught me how to fix
clogs. So, never forget to pass along a smile for it is the little things and
the little moments that create our heroes. Here is to a better tomorrow.
-M
