Whatever Wednesday: Unlikely Superheroes

Why, hello there! Welcome! As always, it is good for you to be here today. I hope that your yesterday was filled to the brim with love. Andy and I celebrated Valentine’s Day on February 13th (I know… such cheaters…) and enjoyed some good ol’ fashioned ice skating and sunset-watching on one of the lakes nearby. Pure perfection!

It is Wednesday, yet again, and we have the awesome opportunity to talk about whatever! As I was pondering what today’s “whatever” should be, the only thing that really came to mind was something I have been tossing around in my own head and heart for some time now. At the end of the day, it is really just an observation about superheroes, but I thought that maybe, just maybe, it would be fitting for today. So let’s get this party started.

Think with me for a moment… Who are your superheroes? Who do you look up to? Who do you support and root for? Who do you want to succeed? Who are you confident in? Who do you trust will get the job done? Who do you want to win? Who do you celebrate?

Perhaps you can only think of a few people or maybe your list goes on and on. Some people may be around today, while others may be fallen heroes of the past. Whatever names you thought of in response to these questions, though, are most likely names you deem worthy of respect and honor. You look up to them, support them, cheer them on, and celebrate them when they succeed.

But what about the people we don’t immediately think of when asked these types of questions? What about those in our lives we have become all too familiar with – the “average Joes”? What about the ones we have seen make mistakes or fail time and time again? Can they be superheroes, too?

I’ve been thinking about this a lot, and no I do not believe the answer is the same for everyone, but sometimes the superheroes in life are the unlikely ones – the ones our minds don’t immediately jump to when asked who our heroes are. Sometimes those we ought to look up to are those whom we are the most familiar with, the ones who seem uninterestingly average. Sometimes the ones we should celebrate are the ones who make mistakes or fail numerous times, but get back up again, dust themselves off, and keep going strong. These are people who are a quiet whisper in a world shouting “bigger is better.” They stand in the shadows of those we elevate, not expecting a note of recognition or credit for the beauty they contribute to lives around them. But they are the world-shakers, change-initiators, and the innovators of a better tomorrow. They are superheroes.

Perhaps you know someone like this, who has a huge heart and a deep passion for life… Today, take a moment to encourage them, wherever they may be. Send them a note, a text, a tweet, a message, or a smoke signal and let them know that though they may be quiet, they are heard. Though they may stand in the shadows, they are seen. And though they have larger than life dreams, they are not crazy. They are a real, flesh and blood, entirely human superhero.

And for those of you who cannot think of anyone like this… I challenge you to be on the lookout this week. Keep your eyes and your heart open to expect the unexpected in this way and then call it out when you see it. Perhaps you will find that these superheroes are not so unlikely after all.

Who is an “unlikely” superhero in your life and why? Please feel at home to comment below! 🙂