Heroes aren’t what they used to be.
Pre-boomers had real heroes, the kind we hoped to be like when we grew up. Since I’m a guy, I can only speak from my perspective, but you ladies certainly had similar experiences. When talking about heroes, it’s more than a list of job titles such as a cowboy, baseball player, fireman or pilot.
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My heroes were personal, part of my life, and very real. My first hero was my mother’s cousin. He was a Navigator/bombardier flying B-25s in the South Pacific during WWII and had a purple heart with three oak leaf clusters, meaning he was wounded three times, plus a chest full of other medals. I still have a picture of me, wearing a flight jacket and helmet he sent, holding a blown-up picture of him while he was away flying missions. Until the day he died, this man represented courage to me.
I had a football coach who was an all-American when he played in college. He was a tough character and rather gruff, but I knew he cared about me and every other guy on the team. Of course, he taught the basics of the game and told us we had to practice, practice, practice until playing our position became second nature to us. More important, he instilled confidence in each one of us, stressed teamwork over individual achievement, and promised that the lessons we learned on the field would help carry with us through life. I remember what he taught me to this day.
The greatest hero in my life was with me from the beginning. I did not realize how big an influence he was on my life, so I did not give him credit for what he freely gave me. He taught me how to play most every sport and turned me over to someone more trained when I was ready to move on. He taught me about hard work and how to drive. He taught me to be respectful and how to get along with others. He was my biggest supporter and my most gentle critic. He was there whenever I needed him but never interfered with my life, even when I was dead wrong. He was my father. And I’m so fortunate that he moved out to LA so we could be together the last five years of his life, because I’m a better man for it.
Are today’s kids exposed to real live heroes? Many of them aren’t. Yet we pre-boomer men have a wealth of experience and the richness of life to offer young people. I make myself available for my grandchildren and try to be a positive influence on their lives. I would gladly do this other kids if the opportunity was presented. But, whatever I may do in my own small way, I doubt if I can impact them the way these three special men did me.
Those days are long gone. Most of the dads in our neighborhood were World War Two vets. They let us see all of their medals. They showed us their uniforms and all bullets, German helmets, and all the other things they brought back with them. My best friends dad show us the place where they put the metal plate in his head. Heros indeed. My Dad the same thing..
We all knew that the sports stars were just athletes. We learned from them the moves on the basketball court, football field or baseball diamond. That was it. We all did the Earl “The Pearl” Monroe spin move with the head down. Or we all wore socks like Pistol Pete. They were floppy.