Hometown Heroes Too...

"Hometown hero, hero of mine; Save me, save us...shine. You don't wear a cape like superman; I'm still a fan and follow you avidly. Lemons given out by life is our new norm, but true to form, you never changed: extending your hand, using your name. We all lift you up and aspire to the same..."

A poem seemed fitting to start this writing. Words that rhyme and make you think sometimes. Anywho...we all know what a hero is. Better yet, we all have a definition of a hero. Our wording might not be all the same, but the sentiment is. For most of us our mom and/or dad was our first hero. Dad because we see his as strong and fearless. mom because she solves our problems and makes us feel better, no matter the situation. I know my parents were my first heroes. As we grow through life, meet new people, have new and different experiences, and gain new knowledge, our heroes may change or perhaps the list just gets longer. There is no limit on how many heroes a person can have.

Teachers are heroes. Teachers are heroes because they deal with our kids all day, then have to go home and deal with their own children. Teachers are heroes because they have to the patience of a saint. They absolutely have to because they can't beat the students lol. They also must have nerves of freaking steel. Teachers are heroes because they are building our children's educational foundation. Our children are in school from age 4 to age 17/18 years old. They are in school 6 hours a day at least for five days a week. A teacher is a second parent of sorts and school is our children's home away from home. Teachers are SUPER heroes today because in addition to the reasons stated above, they are at risk daily simply by going to work. Kids are little germ factories. Especially the little ones. They may not mean it, but they spread germs with almost every movement. They sneeze or wipe their noses with their little hands then touch someone or something. So now these awesome teachers must keep items, surfaces, and children sanitized and separate, keep themselves healthy and safe while teaching new information. Teachers of older children must do all those things AND deal with the older kids attitudes, smart mouths and rebellion. God bless the teachers! I see you...*salute*...stay vigilant!

Of course, our medical staff is heroic. Nurses and doctors are definitely heroes. Assistants and techs are heroes too. Everyone who works in a hospital is a hero. Hats off to them all! They are all heroes because they risk their own personal health and safety everyday fighting Covid-19 and it's variants. Medical staff that study the virus and come up with treatment ideas are heroes. Like teachers, healthcare is often a thankless job. Working so many hours that they have mask imprints in their skin. Working so much that they can't see their spouse or children. They see as many people admitted, pass away. Sadly, they witness many peoples last moments. Social media has given us a glimpse of the battle ground. It is truly some heavy stuff. They get off work, go home to sleep a bit just to wake up and do it all over again. Some healthcare workers are literally hanging on by a thread. I see you. I appreciate you. I thank you. *SALUTE* GOD speed...

Fast food and grocery store workers are heroes. Delivery and mail carriers are heroes. During the Covid shutdown, they all went to work and worked very hard so everyone else could have access to necessities like bread and eggs. I worked in an Amazon Distribution center during that time myself, but this ain't about me so...Anyway, fast food service workers allowed us to have cheeseburgers and the like. They all have similar qualities and obstacles to overcome as teachers and medical staff. They are at risk too on a regular basis. Without such workers, I would have been lost. I'm sure you would be lost too. Not because you can't survive without chicken nuggets or a loaf of bread, but because it'd be hard to do it alone. One thing this pandemic has showed me is that we need each other. We all play a role. When all roles are played, things get done. We are two years in and counting, with seemingly no end in sight. We got this though because we got you, our heroes! we are all a hero in someones eyes. Be awesome...