If you look up the meaning of the term ‘hero’, you should
find a description along the lines of a person who is admired for their
courage, outstanding achievements and/or noble qualities. The mind’s eye is
quick to conjure up images of either good looking caped crusaders from the West
or hunky men from the Bollywood industry, depending on which direction one’s
mind is skewed. But for me, when I think of the word hero, a few people I know
personally come to mind and they’re not only of the male kind.
Topping the list of my life size, living, everyday heroes
are my parents… First there’s my dad who never had it easy growing up and
came up the truly hard way, backed only by hard work, grit and determination
for a better life. Back in the day, college was a luxury that my grandparents
could ill afford and so my dad took to typing during the day and studying at
night to put himself through his merchant navy courses, even if it meant
studying by the streetlight! And he came through with flying colours, providing
for us a life of joy and comfort. Then there’s my mum – my shining beacon of
hope, grace and elegance. No matter what life has thrown at her, she has always
stood by her faith and her beliefs in what is truly right and wrong. For every
curveball that has come her way, she has navigated her return swing ever so
perfectly and knocked each one out of the park. She has been both parents to my
siblings and me while my dad was away and a friend, confidante, listener and
shopping partner simultaneously! Then there’s Lester – a unique individual who
dons many feathers in his multi-coloured cap. Like most men, he is a son,
husband and father. For others, like me, who only cross paths with him
professionally, he’s the lead singer/front man of Goa’s most popular band, A26.
He manages events and is one of those individuals who can crack you up without
trying too hard. Now up until very recently, I only talked shop with Lester’s
team when the occasion demanded it and went on my way. But this one fateful day
he happened to be in the office and relatively free. So we moseyed down to
Inspirations in Porvorim and amidst amazing coffee and delicious croquettes,
caught up on our respective lives and what I saw, heard and learnt, left me
speechless and amazed. Lester’s wife had been unwell for some time and it
turned out to be something not so minor. Anybody else would have either
crumbled under the pressure or chosen one over the other. But as a family man
and absolute professional, Lester took on everything head on, not letting anyone
feel the dearth of him. He still managed to do all that was required of him
professionally while clocking in air miles, meeting all doctors’ appointments,
stocking up on necessities at home and checking in on his kids, all the while
with a wide smile on his face…
Just like him, there are so many other friends and family
members who I look up to, am in awe of and draw inspiration from. But if I had
to start naming them all and describing them from there on out, I’d be here
forever and even the four pages of this supplement would not be enough! But
when the time is right I will pay homage to these amazing individuals. I will
name them and sing out their praises for all to hear. For in my books, it
doesn’t take much to make one a hero and two of my favorite quotes on heroes
sum it up pretty well. The first is by Maya Angelou which says “I think a hero
is any person really intent on making this a better place for all people.” The
other, by Rick Riordan, simply states “Being a hero doesn’t mean you’re invincible.
It just means that you’re brave enough to stand up and do what’s needed.” So
here’s to the hero in you!
