H.E.R.O.

Some people assume greatenss and greatness is thurst upon sime people while they are in bathroom - Wonder years

Across all geograhpies, across all races, all nationalities there are few traits which run like a thread holding the pearls. one of them is the human desire to look for heroes. We find ppl whom we can look upto, for gudiance, for courage, for inspiration and also for anecdotes to read before bedtime. We all love to have our heroes.
And then some ppl become heroes because of their own actions. and some ppl become heroes because of other ppl's acts. and still other ppl become heroes because of our acts. When I feel Mahatma Gandhi is losing out appeal as a hero I move over to Sachin Tendulkar. Earlier I liked Bhagat Singh, today I like manjunaath. Times change, circumstances change, ideals which drive the world chane and so do ppl's preferences for heroes also change. But looking back , all of those ppl whom we look for inspiration when lying flat on the bed, watching the fan dissolve air currents into the gloomy room, they all remain deeply etched in our memories. they make us believe that something is still correct with this world, something is still there which can hold the world together, something... something which is stronger than all the hatred in the air.
But you need not do something extraordinary to be a hero. Commom men, doing their daily chores, truthfully and honestly can all someday be classified as heroes. Of course they wont get their names splashed across TOI or Aaj taks. But then as a hero you dont really need that. No amount of external gratification can drive a person, it just comes from within.
Ppl spend entire lifetimes after causes which appear lost, which appear impossible, beyond the reach of mere mortals. Still those mere mortals rise up, beyond their own selfish motives, beyond their own immediate needs, beyond their own riches just to see a smile on the face of person standing in front of them.
I wish I too had done something good in life, something extra, gone that extra mile, maybe just to help a friend only. But sadly it seems Heroism and me myslef remain to distant ends of a colourful rainbow. But I am sure, before I die (assuming I dont die atleast till 35 years old), Ill do that extra bit to give something back to those ppl who actually have nothing. or atleast do that extra bit to wipe off a tear from a friend's face... that wont be a bad thing for a hero to do, is it?

BTW just for the record, 2 of my very good friends N and D have got a wonderful opportunity to work on a rural education programme sposnored by a aVC. My heartiest congrats to both of them, especially N, someone who it seems is set to prove what others dont belive in. I constantly keep pulling his leg for working for the poor, "tu garibi nahin garib hatayega be", "humlog kal se garibon ki tarah neeche baithhenge" and what not. Ppl think I am a bit insensitive to this sensitivie issue. But the best part is as always I dont think I need to be talk in a serious gloomy tone about some issue just because it is perceived to be a serious one. And coming from where I have, I can always relate to what this guy is doing, relate better than many of ppl on campus. just that I feel that "har baar kuchh bolne ke liye kuchh bolna zaroori nahin hota".

I wish both N and D ATB for their quest. Maybe someday we'll indeed see a guy from R3 or R4 rising up to become a HERO. Till then we all can just wait and wish for it to happen.