Appreciating a Hero
In this touching essay, courtesy of VKAP (Vermont Kin As Parents), a young Vermont man muses on the guidance, support, and love he has received through his grandmother’s care.
What is a hero? Is it a person who can run faster than the speed of light, or the person who can fly? Well a hero to me is someone who can be there for me. Help me if there is any trouble I am in it. They are people who are always by my side no matter what I have done and always have my back. The one person if I ever need it, which I do all the time, advice on what I should do and will drop anything to do what I want to do. The one person that fits my description of a hero would be my grandmother.
My grandmother has always been here for me. She puts up with my tempers, which I seem to have frequently. She has gone to almost all my soccer games and still manages to work her bus-driving job. She has brought me on many trips to Florida and Georgia without giving a second thought. By doing this, she helps me see family I do not get to see on a monthly basis for they live down there.
She has taught me many lessons and I have gotten most of my morals from her. For example, she has taught me I need to work for things that I want. If I wanted a new game I would have to work and earn the money myself to buy it or do something to earn it. Another lesson is that life isn’t fair and that I need to spend time with the ones I love for we don’t know how long they’re going to be on this earth. This past year my uncle passed away and he was a truck driver. Every time he was back from one of his hauls, she would take me over to see him. By my Gram doing this and taking the time out of her schedule, I was able to have a relationship with my uncle before he died.
Morals she had taught me is to treat everything with respect even if they treat me disrespectfully. She has also taught me that it is important to play games that are age appropriate for if they are rated m it is a bad idea for a ten year old to play the game.
She has given me relationship advice before also. Like do not go and buy stuff for a girl I do not expect to be in a long-term relationship. She also has given advice on how much money I should spend on food or games or the fair. This lets me know that she always has my back.
What makes her a real hero in my eyes is fourteen years ago the cops came and took me out of my mothers house. I was put into foster care for six months while my Gram was fighting with the state to get me. My mother didn’t fight for me because she had a break down. Thanks to my Gram I have had a stable life and have been off the streets not doing drugs or other stuff that would mess up my life and for that she is the greatest hero in my life and I love her dearly for being there these fourteen years.
How does this essay resonate with you? Tell us about your experiences with heroes.