It’s Not Easy…

“You can see how he changed on the surface. But at the core of it all, I think Superman has remained the same – a character with incredible powers but almost superhuman humility and restraint.” – Jim Lee

Five for Fighting does a song called “Superman (It’s Not Easy)” that I enjoy a lot. I am a big Superman fan so much so that when I was a kid, I tried my hardest to hold the ideals that I saw in the man of steel. So I guess it is no surprise that I relate to the hero and desire to be the hero more than any other character. I’ve wished to have super powers on various occasions so I could help people. The ability to influence the world and change it for the better. The power to save others.

I love when they depict Superman with real emotions and compassion. I haven’t read the Superman comics in years, but I still watch the animations and etc. I have various animations of him that I like for different reasons, but one I was thinking about in correlation to the song I mentioned earlier was Superman Versus The Elite. There he faces off not just against a group of super powered individuals but the deeper story is that he can’t follow what the world seems to want. He can’t go against his ideals just because the world seems to want something else. Even Lois seems to side with the world, and he just can’t do that.   He stays strong to who he is. The struggle to do the right thing in the middle of an outcry for something different.

“I grew up watching ‘Superman.’ As a child, when I first learned to dive into a swimming pool, I wasn’t diving, I was flying, like Superman. I used to dream of rescuing a girl I had a crush on from a playground bully.” – Tom Hiddleston

That kind of concept is what caused a discussion in the family of why I love the super hero more than the villain. The villain may be fun to watch like Loki in the Thor movies, but it is the hero that has the hardest battle. The villain gets to indulge his dark side to do as they wish and embrace their whims. The super hero has the conflict of not just the villain but also their own inner turmoil of what to do.

A quote from Batman in “Batman: Under the Red Hood” helps demonstrate this:

“Jason Todd: What? What, your moral code just won’t allow for that? It’s too hard to cross that line?

Batman: No! God Almighty, no! It’d be too damned easy. All I’ve ever wanted to do is kill him. A day doesn’t go by when I don’t think about subjecting him to every horrendous torture he’s dealt out to others and then… end him.

Batman: But if I do that, if I allow myself to go down into that place, I’ll never come back.”

“For me, growing up in a ridiculously poor family living in dead-end neighborhoods, Superman was a deeply personal icon, one that said you can do anything if you put your mind to it. What he stood for formed the core of who I wanted to be as I grew up, and informed how I view the world and my responsibilities to other people.” – J. Michael Straczynski

 

The greatest conflict sometimes is within us.   I most definitely relate to the hero. The one that wins against that inner conflict and comes out triumphant. The person that no matter the odds overcomes themselves and thereby the world to stand tall and be themselves. The person that no matter their own trials and tribulations, still gives a smile and kindness to others. The one that finds the ability to get beyond themselves and show love to others.

The core of the super hero I look up to and want to be most like has nothing to do with his super powers. His super powers allows him to do great things but it is his heart, his kindness, his perseverance in the face of darkness, and his belief that people are innately good and worth fighting for.   Even without his powers he still fights for what he believes in.

“For a hero is someone who is selfless. Think about it, friends. Superman, Luke Skywalker, and Captain America. They are helping others. They aren’t only thinking for themselves. They are reaching out beyond themselves.” ― Mark Andrew Poe

In any situation, I prefer the path of the hero. No matter how multi-faceted and how much depth you give to a villain he still gave in to the darkness. That doesn’t mean a hero doesn’t fall but the difference is a hero pushes to get back up. They fight to be the hero again.   Which brings me to another song I like with a hint of Superman, “Kryptonite” by 3 Doors Down. “If I go crazy then will you still call me Superman? If I’m alive and well, Will you be there a-holding my hand? I’ll keep you by my side With my superhuman might.”

When the hero falls sometimes they need someone to help them get back in the game. To lift them up out of the darkness and push on. Someone that believes in them even when they can’t believe in themselves. In a fight to get yourself back it helps to have those that see the good, the potential, and hold the belief that you will get your “A” game back.

“Actually, it’s as if Superman is more real than we are. We writers come and go, generations of artists leave their interpretations, and yet something persists, something that is always Superman.” ― Grant Morrison
Those people don’t just come from those close to you but from all around you. I can’t remember what super hero it was or even if it was a super hero but I remember a scene where a hero was broken, had given up, didn’t believe they could do it and the start to their recovery happened from a child that still believed in them.   We have to remember the impact we have on others and how we have the ability to give hope to even a stranger with how we interact.

We always think of the hero as the one that saves the day. The one that saves others that stands tall against great odds. The truth is we all can be heroes everyday. It comes down to how we interact with others. You want to save a life? Show kindness, share a smile, give to charity, volunteer, but most of all be engaged with others in some positive way. You won’t only save someone’s life but you may very well change the world.   Your nemesis is apathy, selfishness, callousness, and people that leave broken pieces in their wake. To be a hero help pick up those pieces by sharing a smile, a kindness, a helping hand. The greatest super power is altruism.

Thank you for taking the time to read.  I hope you have a good day filled with kind moments.

“Dreams save us. Dreams lift us up and transform us. And on my soul, I swear… until my dream of a world where dignity, honor and justice becomes the reality we all share — I’ll never stop fighting.” – Superman

 

Check out kindspring for some cool ideas to spread random kindness.
http://www.kindspring.org/