Really Living 11 Sep 2008 11:37 am
Real Men Show Up
…the theme of my thoughts on this September 11th anniversary. It occurs to me that in every hero tale the essence comes down to one thing: attendance. “Being There”, wherever “There” is or needs to be, may get lost in the shuffle during the drive for impression or performance or perfection. But presence is critical and perhaps matters more than anything that may happen after. Phrases like, “I’d walk to through the fire with you” or “In sickness and in health” get their gravitas from the companionship implied. And maybe that’s why taking out the trash for someone can sometimes seem more heroic than the mere saying, “but I’d die for you”.
On this day, in matters big and small, from half-mast flags to promises kept or broken, the reminders have been constant: real heroes are the ones who show up. Who stand up. Who do. Who hold hands and stand side by side. Who lead and protect. They are action verbs requiring one thing: Being There.