Heroes and Angels

The other day I wrote of miracles and mysteries. Of the miracles that are in our world, the one that continually amazes and elevates me is the strength of the human soul. No matter how horrible things can get, there are heroes and angels amongst us who ground and center us and lift us to the heavens at the same time. They elevate us to a higher plane and our sense of self.

From the first person who sacrificed himself for another when we were just coming into our humanity, to a mother who has lost her infant daughter, we are constantly reminded of our strength and resiliency and why we are set apart as something special in the animal kingdom.

We are all presented with personal challenges that can feel like they will break us and that will cause us to sink into the earth to be lost forever. Always we march forward, one step at a time, trying to make sense of our lives and the world. And during these struggles, there are those that inspire, that show us the way and that the way can be paved with dignity, grace and perseverance.

One of the people that I look to for inspiration is Maya Angelou. She was sexually assaulted as a child; faced bigotry in the south; worked as a table dancer, paint stripper, singer, actress, editor, author, civil rights activist, and lastly, teacher. How many of us have risen to the level of humanity that Ms. Angelou has shown is possible? When we make excuses for ourselves and our lives, how do those excuses hold up when examined against what others have gone, or are going, through?

There are many Holocaust survivors who have taught and inspired us and reminded us that we must never lose our humanity. Elie Wiesel is probably one of the more famous of these survivors. Wiesel, at age 15, was deported, along with his family, to Auschwitz. His mother and sister were terminated immediately on arrival. He and his father were transferred to Buchenwald to be used for labor and then terminated when they were of no further use. Wiesel has stated that his motivation to stay alive was to keep his father alive. “I knew that if I died, he would die,” stated Wiesel during an Oprah Winfrey program. Wiesel’s father died in his arms from dysentery and a beating before the camp was liberated.

Wiesel was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1986. The Nobel Prize committee notes that his work will “…embrace all repressed peoples and races.” They also stated that Wiesel was a “messenger to mankind…teaching peace, atonement and human dignity.”

In Wiesel’s acceptance speech, he tells of speaking to himself, trying to make sense of the Holocaust and he says, “ “And now the boy is turning to me. “Tell me,” he asks, “what have you done with my future, what have you done with your life?””. This one question has changed my life in some respects and it should be a question we all ask ourselves. Are we living lives worthwhile, are we kind and easing the burdens of others? Will we inspire someone and cause a miracle to happen on their behalf with our words and deeds? If you think about it, is it really that hard? Opening a door for someone, letting them merge peacefully onto the freeway are places to start.

And there are others, more recent, who offer me hope for the future. My mother, who passed from cancer with grace and dignity, taught us that “what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.” My niece and her husband, lost their 10-month old baby girl, Claire. Is it wrong to think of this tragedy as inspirational? They offer so much to those in crisis. They let others know that they are not alone and that there is someone who understands the pain and the torment of this loss. Who else could help but someone who has gone through this?

What inspires me is to always remember that we do have control; we are not helpless, even in the face of death. I can point to two specific instances in 2013 that always serve as reminders.

The Boston Marathon bombing on April 15, 2013, caused fear and panic. How could this have happened, how would we ever be safe again?

One of those that were injured by the bombing, Roseann Sdoia, is a woman who was at the finish line cheering on the runners when the blast hit. Sdoia lost her leg. Rather than giving up, she embraced the opportunity to survive and to show that we are the masters of our destiny, not a terrorist. She thrived and became an inspiration to millions. She has shown that you must not give in to your fear and that you can live a life worthwhile. She reminded us again of this when she recently announced that she was engaged to the firefighter who cared for her at the marathon. What better way to show those who wish to instill fear that there are other paths to follow, that we get to choose our destiny and not anyone else.

Again, during 2013, there was a young man, Zach Sobiech, who was dying of bone cancer. He wrote a song called “Clouds” that detailed his struggles with his diagnosis. In the song, he writes, “We’ll go up, up, up but I’ll fly a little higher.” This song became an inspiration to millions and Zach created a non-profit organization to help others. If not for his struggles, would this have happened?

Zach’s legacy did not stop with “Clouds.” He continued to write music and to sing and he formed a band called A Firm Handshake during the last year of his life.

One of the most inspiring songs that I have heard written by Zach is called, “Fix Me Up.” In the song, he and his childhood friend, Sammy Brown, sing a duet and the lines are, “never give up, never look back,” “I won’t give up, I’ll keep on trying.” Zack passed away on May 20, 2013; he had just turned 18 years old. Every time I hear this song, I cry. I cry in sadness that the world has lost such a gentle soul but I rejoice that we are able to know him just a bit. Through his music comes inspiration and the miracle that, again, we are in control of how we approach our life.

As you may be able to tell, I am a bit sensitive. My family and fiancé will confirm this. But along with the sensitivity and sometimes painful empathy, is the connection to a higher source and to a belief that things will right themselves in the end. We may not always get to know the “why” of things as they happen, but if we are lucky, in a few months or a few years, the path of events will be explained; if not during our life time, then maybe in our children’s or in our next lifetime.

I choose to believe in mysteries and miracles and to be inspired. I choose to believe in heroes and in angels, both on earth and through the veil. My challenge to you is to find what you believe and to not only be inspired, but to be inspiring.

Be well…

Rayne