This was originally an essay I wrote for my English class. Our assignment was to write about a personal hero. I thought the topic was interesting, that's why I posted it here.

THE HERO IN MY HEART

By Mercury Angel II

A hero should possess qualities such as righteousness, morality, courage and strength. Joseph Campbell gave a more precise definition of hero in his interview, "A hero is someone who has given his or her life to something bigger than oneself" (123). The hero in my heart is not a god or a superhuman that exists in mythology, or a romantic warrior who has supernatural powers and slays monsters, or a tragic hero that was born to be an outstanding leader. My hero is a realistic hero, a human just like us, who is someone close to me and someone I look up to. She is a woman, who has accomplished the heroic deed of giving birth, who gives total dedication to her family without wanting any kind of reward, and possesses kindness and strength. She is my mother.

Mothers who give birth to their children are also regarded as heroes. Joseph Campbell said, "Giving birth is definitely a heroic deed, in that it is the giving over of oneself to the life of another." My mother gave birth to me in the United States. My family happened to be living in Panama at that time because my father got transferred there by his company. My mom wished for a better environment to give birth to her second child, so she left for the United States. This little decision of hers changed my life completely because I received American citizenship the minute I was delivered to the world. There were no words to convey how happy she felt as she hoped that someday I will be able to come back to the United States for graduate school. Turmoil was rising in Panama not long after I was born. My family had no choice but to return to Taiwan, and none of us thought about America again until ten years later when my father got transferred to Chicago. I was given a chance to receive education at middle school here, and I am able to stay here because of my US citizenship, which I am lucky to have. Unlike me, my older sister was not born in the United States, and it makes her life many times tougher to live in the United States. If mom had not given birth to me in the United States, my life would not have been the same.

My mother dedicated herself entirely to the family, particularly the positive influence she makes on her children. She guides her kids through every stage, from correcting mistakes and bad habits when they are young to teaching them how to be people with moral, righteousness, and wisdom. Before they set out on their own, she would do anything to establish a basic good character in them and prepare them for the challenges they might encounter in the future. She sacrifices her life for the well-being of her offspring. This is definitely a heroic deed.

My mom possesses the most important characteristics a hero should have-kindness and strength. In January 2004, I was in gym doing taekwondo exercises when suddenly I fell, twisted my left knee, and tore the ACL ligament. For the next five months I walked painfully with crutches under my arms and did not resume normal walking until July. During those five months of nightmare, my father got transferred back to Taiwan, my sister was already in college, and my mom became the only spiritual supporter I had. I remembered when I came home from the surgery; because of my injured leg it was impossible for me to climb the stairway. My mother, ignoring my protest, insisted in carrying me up the stairs on her back. I began to cry because she is such a responsible parent with kindness and strength, and at that moment she became my hero.

My mother has accomplished in giving her life to something bigger than herself and possesses many of the qualities a hero should have such as intelligence, kindness, braveness, and strength. Not only did she give total dedication to her family, but also to the society. Her amazing self-sacrificing spirit contributes to earning my respect and a firm image of a hero in my heart.

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