The Hero Within

We are in a never-ending search for a hero. Or rather, a superhero. We often visualize a hero like our comic book characters. A hero must be as invincible as Superman, as ingenious as Batman, or as innocent as Harry Potter. Our movies are teeming with these superhero themes and they excite us as we watch them in silver screens, feeling the adrenaline fueled by mind-blowing action and special effects. Superheroes fantastically demonstrate their supernatural powers: flying, dodging bullets, lifting heavy objects, firing lasers, jumping from one building to another, reading another person's mind, accurate reflex, camouflaging, telekinesis, excellent martial art moves, etc.

And often, like kids, we still dream the same fantasies, asking ourselves how we can literally have the same power. Is there any way to cast the same spells, or wield the same sword, or wear the same mask and cape? We also often tell ourselves, given the opportunity to become superheroes, we would promise to give the world the most elusive peace and harmony by busting crime, war, terrorism, helping people who are suffering because of poverty and sickness, and annihilating all forms of corruption. Perhaps it is a dream that has kept aflame in our hearts: unleashing the passionate hero for humanity.

So when Presidents Barrack Obama (for America and the whole world), and Benigno Aquino III (for most Filipinos) were elected, the ideals of a hero in the political arena have been materialized. We have suffered years of blaming and sacrifice, and putting someone in the pedestal to give light to a new change and renewed hope is such a consecration of a hero.

At the same time, we still continue to mythologize our sacred heroes. The heroic personas radiated by ancient sages such as Jesus Christ, The Buddha, Muhammad, Krishna Lao Tzu, Socrates and others are still magnified in our consciousness. Their examples have influenced an expanding universe of belief systems and spiritual revolutions. They have inspired new heroes throughout histories, those whom we call saints, wise men, teachers, geniuses and enlightened beings. They are the face of the immense influence of heroic nobility. This blend of eternal and temporal perspective on heroes both characterize our timeless search for the true meaning of heroism, and our desire to become heroes ourselves.

The insights explored by Joseph Campbell has revealed the face of the hero: he/she is always in the journey of leaving and rediscovering oneself. The striking accuracy of similar patterns in all legends, myths, and even in themes of popular culture can never be denied portraying this archetype of the hero within us. But until we see ourselves as heroes, we would continue the pupal stage of inner chaos in our metamorphosis to become heroes. We would still resist the process, and deprive ourselves the chance to fulfill our heroic destiny. This destiny begins when we decide to let go of our old selves wallowing in fear, anger, doubt, and guilt, and begin to lift up our new selves in the light of Love, peace and harmony with the rest of humanity and the Universe. It is a difficult transition, but the rewards are beyond measure.

"Being a hero is not wiping the enemies out, but Loving them."

We are all in a hero's journey. In one deliberate, and often seen as disjointed premise, our hero's journey is nothing but the discovery of the Love within us. This Love that bears the vast potential, of our supernatural tendencies to create our reality, by moving mountains with just a seed of our faith. But we are still missing this truth. Our insatiable appetite of blaming others, of not taking responsibility for the choices we create whether conscious or subconscious, we continue to halt the emergence of our heroic selves.

Being a hero is not wiping the enemies out, but Loving them. Being a hero is not commanding others to do want we want, but connecting and collaborating with them to share our innermost selves in becoming part of grander solutions for humanity's global problems. Being a hero is not having supernatural powers and use them literally, but how we can symbolically empower ourselves with our lofty and realistic intentions for a better world. We cannot anymore displace our capacities to those who have political, economic and social powers.There is no authority above us when we see the hero within us. Everyone of us is a hero, and we can contribute great change by using our inner power. Coming from a famous line in Spiderman movie: "With great power comes great responsibility." This power is the power of Love.

We can all become heroes. In fact, we are heroes. We must acknowledge our intelligence not to compete or to destroy, but to offer our genius to Love more, in ways we know best within our domains and potentialities. Stop blaming and start acting: this is the dictum of a hero. In the light of Mother Teresa's words, our simple actions must be done with great Love. We have seen great examples, like Mother Teresa, as well as all people behind the global renaissance that awakens the Love within us. Gandhi reminds us again and again, and it echoes in our hero's perspective: the heroic change we want to see will happen only when become that heroic change.

Mariah Carey's song "The Hero" perfectly captures this heroic wisdom: "There's the hero, if you look inside your heart...And you finally see the truth, that the hero lies in you." Within our hearts, there lies the Love that longs to resurrect the hero that we can become. As we Love ourselves, our families, our friends, our enemies, and our whole humanity, our Loving hero within is now reborn.