not terribly upset about that. I’m actually often taken aback by the sheer number of people who hold celebrities in such high esteem, to almost hero status, when they’ve never met them nor will they ever experience any sort of validation from them.
In short, I guess I’m wondering what our fascination is with people we don’t know.
have rough days where the long hours and constant barrage of media attention
gets the better of them, days when they wonder where they can extract just one
more hour, just one more ounce of strength. After all, they are only human.
But, I often find myself too busy to take a few minutes to say thank you to the
people who actually make a difference in my life. The everday heroes who exude the strength of character and class that I strive for: the unsung family members and friends who are battling insurmountable odds, fighting fatigue and debilitating illness all while staying positive, not only for themselves but for everyone else around them.
We all have friends and relatives like this; people who have been dealt a bad hand. These quiet heroes bravely battle incurable diseases and overwhelming adversity without the benefit of an adoring public. My friend, Rissa’s, battle with leukemia would have broken me down, and yet she maintains an attitude that shames me to complain about the insignificant trials I face. I have a family member who’s in the middle of a
tragic battle against an invisible enemy, her mind. She’s showing me, by example, what it means to have true courage. Your friends and relatives are doing the same every
single day. I wish I could single each of them out and praise their epic, individual examples.
Rissa, my cousin…and your friends and family members show us the way for how to live our lives with courage, dignity, and integrity. They’re teaching us how to face fear and
overcome obstacles; how to live extraordinary lives in the face of crushing physical and emotional devastation. These are the people I want my children to look up to as role models, not Kim Kardashian, Paris Hilton, and Charlie Sheen.
I only know what I read and see about the celebrities that grace our television screens, movie theaters and radio airwaves. And I don’t know your loved ones at all. But I admire them. I admire them the same way I admire my own friends and family members who bravely fight the fight. I admire their mental fortitude and their ability to handle
adversity, all with a positive attitude.
I write stories about the real people, the people who touch my life and change it forever. Their remarkable determination, unbreakable will, and their indomitable courage may never be listed in the credits after the movie has faded to black, but I can assure you
it will be listed in the Good Book after they pass through the pearly gates.
So, this blog is dedicated to all of the amazing people who are absolutely worth pausing a few minutes to think about and honor. I would like to say:
Keep fighting the good fight! I love you guys!