There is a problem in our culture with hero(ine) worship.

We look at that someone (usually an achiever and/or charmer) and wish we had what s/he had. Sh/e’s got it and we want it. S/he’s got and we don’t have it and think we probably never will have it, but it sure drains off some of the tension by watching him/her have it.

This “hero(ine)” we don’t know personally. There is a persona we know. But, that’s about it. (I suppose tabloids make a ton of money off us… as we try to get to “know” this hero(ine.)

We idealize this hero(ine.) We believe that being next to this “hero(ine),” adapting his/her mannerisms, wearing his/her jersey, or using his/her brand of golf club will somehow at some level make us more “complete.”

Many marital affairs are like this. The other person is idealized, not truly known. The cheating spouse believes that being with the other person will give him/her what she is truly seeking. The other person is the answer! The other person is the hero(ine.)

Eventually, the frailty of humanity emerges, the hero(ine) is exposed and the great disappointment settles in that this person also, is not the answer to my internal emptiness, confusion and lostness.

So, I say, be done with hero(ine) worship.

The only hero(ine) is within you… somewhere. Your power, the essence of who you are, your gifts, your ability to see beauty, your capacity to care, your desire to love and your desire to live this life with it’s moments of pain and moments of joy…that’s the hero(ine.)

I wonder what our lives and our world would be like if our journey consisted of uncovering, embracing and allowing that inner hero(ine) to emerge?