Everywhere I look, I see superheroes. The box office is full of them. They’re on lunchboxes, shirts, and bed comforters. And yesterday I found out they’ve invaded Afena Federal Credit Union as well. When I headed into the south branch lobby with the kiddoes to make their monthly deposit, they were each told to choose one dog tag or notebook sporting some of their favorite heroes. And they thought that was awesome, of course. With the success of Marvel movies, it’s no surprise that we’re seeing so much superhero themed events and items. And I think it says something about our culture that we are fascinated with superheroes…are we missing the heroes in real life?

Our community is full of heroes. We have tons of non-profits right here in Marion that exist only to help people who are battling illness, poverty, or tough situations in their personal life. We have awesome schools full of excellent, caring and passionate teachers. We have friends and family members who are part of the armed forces, called on to be heroes across seas or right here at home. We have an excellent medical community with knowledgeable and compassionate people. We are surrounded by heroes, every day, and instead of hiding their identity with costumes and masks, they blend in, and their heroism is disguised as mundane, ordinary, and just another day’s work.

Of course, the one superhero that is the hardest to identify, the one that we all usually mistake as just another ordinary person, is the one reading this blog right now. It’s a challenge to recognize the hero in ourselves. There have been a ton of studies about how we need to aware of what we’re saying to our children, to our spouses, and to ourselves, because we start to internalize those comments. So when you’re having a bad day and can’t seem to catch a break, remember to give yourself a little grace. My challenge this week is to start recognizing the superheroes in your life. Don’t write them off as ordinary, and when you find yourself taking things for granted, shake out of it. We are blessed to be in this country, this state, and this community, and we have a lot to be grateful for. 

I’m going to start right here. Thank you, reader, for reading this blog, for keeping up with the local news, and for caring. Sometimes the news isn’t pretty, but we have to acknowledge where we stand, both the positives and the negatives, in order to move forward. It shows a certain kind of bravery to take that honest look at yourself, at your community, and at your future. So here’s to facing our challenges with a superhero attitude and recognizing our blessings. I’m Claire, the Afena blog mom. Thanks for reading.