Appreciating Our Modern Heroes this National Heroes Day

What is a hero?

On a dictionary definition, they are the person who is admired or idealized for their courage, outstanding achievements, or noble qualities. In most films, on the other hand, they are the ones wearing capes or fancy armors, wielding powerful weapons, or gifted with superhuman abilities, who always fight anyone or even anything that threatens peace or the existence of humanity.

Sounds cool, right? But in reality, those characteristics are not always what makes a person a hero.

Those may be how we used to see heroes, but these days, especially since the Coronavirus Disease 2019 or COVID-19 began to change the world as we know it, we begin to realize what being a hero truly means.

An individual doesn’t need to wear a cape nor use magical relics to be called a hero. What they need is the heart and initiative to help those who are in need. Those who make sacrifices for the sake of others no matter how big or small are today’s true heroes and their efforts are meant to be recognized even in the simplest ways.

That’s why today, the National Heroes Day, of all the days, we would like to thank everyone who has done and those who are continuing to do all that they can for the rest of the world to keep moving and for the lives of the many to keep going even amid the all the challenges that we are experiencing right now.

To those who are and were in the front lines in the midst of the pandemic – the healthcare workers, the utility workers, soldiers, police officers, traffic enforcers, delivery persons, the media personnel, firefighters, and everyone else who are facing the dangers just for the rest of us –  you are our modern heroes and we couldn’t thank you enough for everything.

And to everyone else who are out there – the teachers who are doing their best to impart knowledge to their students during these trying times, those who never stopped praying for others, the leaders who are making sure that their people are getting through the challenges, and everyone else who are following the protocols for the safety of the many – of course, you are heroes too.

In reality, there is no “the chosen one” who will make all the difference on his own. Everyone can become a hero whether it be of an entire country or of the many or even of a specific individual. This is why, again, we thank you everyone for choosing to do what’s right and what helps, and may you all stay brave and strong for many years to come.

Also, let’s not forget the sacrifices made by the heroes who fought for our country a long time ago. Jose Rizal, Andres Bonifacio, and everyone else who stood up for our country – without them, we may not be where we are now nor even who we are this day.

Thank you, our modern heroes and our national heroes a happy National Heroes Day.