Heroes
Sitting in the great room of the Frontiers of Freedom exhibit. Oversized photographs of leaders of the fight for Free State Kansas stare down on us. The exhibit is housed in the Carnegie Building, one of thousands funded by Andrew Carnegie. These people are called heroes. They overcame great odds to accomplish great things. Heroes are not just remembered for the magnitude of the accomplishment, though. Their accomplishments must be ones that help others with little regard for their own aggrandizement.
We are sitting in the great room to honor a modern-day hero, Joe Reitz. He deserves the approbation. Yet my thoughts are drawn to the unnamed heroes I know: the parents facing homelessness with their kids. Am I observing heroes-in-the-making? The cards are stacked against them, yet they persevere. Long hours. Conflict. Unease. They are driven by their desire to make a better way for their children. That desire allows them to swallow their pride and accept help. That desire allows them to tolerate the inconvenience of moving their stuff every week. They sacrifice so their children will have a way up. Yes, they are heroes! Like many heroes, their gift won’t be recognized in this generation. I know, though. I know.