Heroes for Hire
by Donald E. Hester
on Wednesday, 06 May 2009
Leadership
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Donald E. Hester
Husband, father, and adventurer. A computer science instructor who dabbles in t
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I like to use historical people or characters as a means of inspiration for myself and others. However, I have a hard time labeling anyone as a hero or saint. Mostly from fear that some aspect of their life unknown to me, may reflect negatively on me for having bestowed such an honor on the individual.
"It is to be lamented however that great characters are seldom without blot." - George Washington
However, many man and women, by virtue, exemplify a value or attribute I find worthy of emulation and pursuit. These individuals serve as a reminder, an icon or inspiration of a worthy value or attribute. Icons serve a useful purpose they reminders and inspire us to hold to those values or characteristics we wish to pursue. It is important to remember that these people are not perfect. I guess if we find they have too many faults with them or faults that are not surmountable, we should cease to use them as heroic icons.
Maybe this is why fictional characters work as well. Often they can represent the ideal attribute or value without the baggage that real people come with.
One note of caution I have if anyone wishes to place anyone on a pedestal. We have to be careful not to venerate the man or woman beyond the ideal. We cannot allow ourselves to fall for the trap of saint worship. If we can focus on the values and attributes without venerating the people I think this becomes valuable.
Here is a list of a few of my values or traits that I want to emulate. I hope to seek out heroes or characters that can best represent each of these.
Accountability, Achievement, Action, Appreciation, Attitude, Balance, Bearing, Change, Character, Charity, Community, Conviction, Courage, Creativity, Decisiveness, Dependability, Determination, Devotion, Discernment, Discipline, Discretion, Doggedness, Duty, Education, Endurance, Enthusiasm, Ethics, Excellence, Fair, Faith, Family, Focus, Fortitude, Freedom, Generosity, Gentle, Giving, Growth, Health, Hospitable, Humility, Initiative, Inspiration, Integrity, Just, Justice, Knowledge, Leadership, Legacy, Listening, Love, Loyalty, Moderation, Patriotism, Peace, Peaceable, Perseverance, Perspective, Planning, Preparation, Priorities, Professionalism, Proactive, Prudence, Purpose, Quality, Recompense, Relaxation, Reputation, Respectable, Responsibility, Romance, Self-control, Sensitive, Serenity, Service, Stamina, Steadfast, Stewardship, Tact, Teamwork, Temperance, Tenacious, Timeliness, Tranquility, Trust, Truth, Unselfishness, Value, Vision, Wisdom, Freedom