Ordinary People as Heroes

[Wind Song]

One of my personal favorites is "Granny D".

In addition to emphysema from fifty years of smoking, "Granny D" (Doris Haddock), had severe arthritis in her hands and knees. She wore hearing aids. She had dentures. She was not, what you'd call Olympics ready. She interrested in campaign reform and passing the McCain-Feingold bill. She led a petition movement. On January 1, 1999–at the age of 89– Dorise began a 3,200–mile walk across the country to demonstrate her concern for the issue, walking ten miles each day for fourteen months.

In 2004, she unsuccessfully ran for Senate against Senator Judd Gregg. She died at the ripe old age of 100. She reminds me of a poster I once saw in the library. It read, "I was put on this earth to accomplish a certain number of things and I am so far behind that I will never die."

[Wind Song]

Peace Pilgirm<!-- google_ad_section_end --> <!-- google_ad_section_start -->(July 18, 1908 – July 7, 1981) born Mildred Lisette Norman, was an American pacifist, vegetarian, and peace activist. In 1952, she became the first woman to walk the entire length of the Appalachian Trail in one season. Starting on January 1, 1953, in Pasadena, California, she adopted the name "Peace Pilgrim" and walked across the United States for 28 years.

Her pilgrimage spanned almost three decades beginning January 1, 1953, in Pasadena, California. The Korean War was in progress. She continued walking for 28 years, spanning the American involvement in the Vietnam War and beyond. Peace Pilgrim was a frequent speaker at churches, universities, and local and national radio and television.

Expressing her ideas about peace, she referred to herself only as "Peace Pilgrim." Peace Pilgrim's only possessions were the clothes on her back and the few items she carried in the pockets of her blue tunic which read "Peace Pilgrim" on the front and "25,000 Miles on foot for peace" on the back. She had no organizational backing, carried no money, and would not even ask for food or shelter. When she began her pilgrimage she had taken a vow to "remain a wanderer until mankind has learned the way of peace, walking until given shelter and fasting until given food."
Peace Pilgrim - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peace_Pilgrim)<!-- google_ad_section_end -->

[darin]

The American Soldier (used generically, referring to all service men and women)



When I refer to U.S. service members as heroes, I do that out of general, across-the-board respect and admiration for them, and out of deep gratitude for the sacrifices they make for our country.
I know darn well that not every one of them fits Astore's definition of a hero: "Someone who behaves selflessly, usually at considerable personal risk and sacrifice, to comfort or empower others and to make the world a better place."
Still, so many of our military come very close to doing so.
But why nitpick? Why be stingy when it comes to praising our military? (http://articles.latimes.com/2010/jul/27/opinion/la-oew-dewind-20100727)