Who are the strong people?
I watched the 2016 CNN HEROES Awards and learned about ten folks who saw injustice and decided to do something about it. Ten ordinary people doing what they can, where they are, with what they have. (Click here to see videos.)
- An 87-year-old man who uses his horses to give special needs kids a leg up
- A woman who serves foster kids as the age out of the system
- A disabled man who serves disabled kids
- A lady who offers freedom to trafficked women
- A professional kayaker offers outdoor adventure to young cancer patients
- A young woman provides health care in rural Kenya
- A man breaking the cycle of fatherless inner city homes
- A woman who finds homes for senior dogs
- Using soccer to help refugee children find community
- Cycling for at-risk kids
Would you agree with me that these folks are extraordinarily strong? And yet, not a hint of
Loudness
Pushiness
Bullying
Self-centeredness
Using people
Unwillingness to listen
Needing to be right
Manipulation
Not caring about others’ feelings
No indication of traits that conceal insecurity, fear, and weakness behind a mask of bluster and misdirection. These folks exemplify humility, courage, and service.
CNN calls them heroes. I’ll bet they don’t think like that. I’ll bet they think they’re regular people doing what they can about injustice.
Each award winner created an amazing community around their efforts, folks who caught the vision and stepped into the circle. Together they’re part of an unseen army doing remarkable work. No bluster. No shouting.
Humility. Courage. Service.
These are the strong people.