WHY WE NEED HEROES

Neil Armstrong’s passing on Saturday left me wondering: Who are our heroes in this country today? Man’s first walk on the moon in 1969 seems long ago, and maybe a bit distant to our growing global challenges. Yet it was the natural culmination of a journey that started less than 110 years when the Wright Brothers flew for the very first time.

Are today’s heroes those men and women who face the unknown with courage and innovation, who are willing to lead by taking risks, pushing the envelope, and powered by a conviction they will succeed because of what is right and what can be accomplished for the common good?

Or are they another kind of hero, one who would prefer to play it safe, claiming an early victory rather than finding out what could be done if they only decided to care about something greater than their personal accomplishments?

I don’t know the answer, but I’d love to be surprised.

“While many people are quick to cash in on their 15 minutes of fame, Armstrong largely avoided the public spotlight and chose to lead a quiet, private life with his wife and children,” reports CNN.

Armstrong’s family released this statement: “While we mourn the loss of a very good man, we also celebrate his remarkable life and hope that it serves as an example to young people around the world to work hard to make their dreams come true, to be willing to explore and push the limits, and to selflessly serve a cause greater than themselves.”

(Hasselblad Photograph of Neil Armstrong on the Moon: Buzz Aldrin/NASA)

(Vintage Photographer: Unknown)