My Fictional Heroes - Batman and Hakkai (Saiyuki)

Throughout my life, I've been asked who was my hero. For most people, this is an easy question. Answers ranged from George Washington to Martin Luther King to Freddie Mercury. For me, the answer was always a hard one. I didn't have an hero or anyone I aspired to be like. Sure, I admired people. I admire my mom for being a single parent who always made sure we had food, shelter and love. I've always admired Charles Drew for discovering the wonders of blood plasma even as he died tragically despite his research. There are many people I admire, but none of them I think of as my hero.

Maybe it's because of the way I view heroes. For me a hero is a person who does wonderful and nobel things despite the odds against them. My Mom, Charles Drew and so many people are heroes. Heroes are around us everyday, going that extra mile. Having a hero shifts the responsibility of being your own personal hero to someone else. I could never make someone else my hero. I needed to be my own hero. That's why I could never answer the question.

So what does that have to do with Batman and Hakkai? Well, I realized the closest I could have as heroes were fictional heroes. Their worlds aren't my worlds and so I can give the responsibility of being heroic to them, because it's all pretend (no matter how much I want them to be real *sigh*).

So I will proudly say that I do have fictional heroes. Batman with his jaded self, fantastic mind and independence. Hakkai with his smile and his dangerous need to protect those around him. Oh yeah, he also has a brilliant mind.  I guess I have a thing for intelligence combined with really messed up lives. Meh.

Yet, for all their heroics. In really life, my only hero is me, because it's my responsibility to give back to all the wonderful people who have done so much for me from my Mom to Charles Drew to the soldiers who have sacrificed themselves to help me live in a beautiful country. Thank you. You're all heroes and I'm working on becoming one too.