The word ordinary means – normal or common. The word hero means – a person who is admired or idealized for courage, outstanding achievements, or noble qualities.
We’ve recently celebrated Memorial Day (May 27), a federal holiday in the United States set aside for honoring and mourning the United States military personnel who died while serving in the United States of America. Veterans Day (November 11) is a federal holiday in the United States set aside to honor living military veterans of the United States Armed Forces, both active and non-active. Independence Day (July 4) is a federal holiday in the United States set aside to celebrate the birth of our nation and its independence from Great Britain in 1776.
While all of the above holidays might seem ordinary to some people since they are observed annually and have been as long as most of us can remember, these are certainly not ordinary days.
Ordinary men and women, just as ordinary in some ways as you and I, stepped out of their comfort zones and did some extraordinary things that had a lasting effect on the lives of countless individuals for years, decades, and yes, even centuries. Most of the people whom we honor and mourn on Memorial Day didn’t join the United States military with the hope of dying in military service. On the contrary, they hoped that they wouldn’t die in military service. They likely feared that they might, but they did it anyway. They didn’t join the military joyfully, wanting to be separated from their family and friends. They knew that it was going to happen, but they did it anyway. They probably didn’t join the military with the expectation of being thought of as a hero. As a matter of fact, most veterans don’t consider themselves a hero. They just “did their job” and did it in spite of the fact that they didn’t set out to become a hero.
George Washington became the first president of the United States and eventually became known as the “Father of our Country.” However, George Washington was just an ordinary man. Yes, he did extraordinary things, but he was just an ordinary man. There have been many other ordinary men and women throughout history who were just ordinary human beings. They found themselves in a spot that gave them the opportunity to choose one thing or another, and the choice they made was epic. It changed their lives forever.
Some people are born with the natural ability to lead others, but they must have someone to follow them, or their leadership would be useless. So, those who are good followers are just as important when it comes to getting the job done. Yes, the “leader,” if he/she is a good one, usually gets the recognition for the job, but they didn’t accomplish very much on their own. It took ordinary people working together, supporting each other, giving each other a hand up when they needed it.
Theodore Roosevelt’s fame and personality made him the de facto leader of the ragtag group of polo players, hunters, cowboys, Native Americans, and athletic college buddies known as the” Rough Riders.” They were just ordinary men who were called on to do extraordinary things. It wasn’t until one hundred years later that Roosevelt was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for what was described as “…acts of bravery while leading a daring charge up San Juan Hill.”
So, on this day, I want to take a moment to thank all those ordinary men and women who have stepped up and done extraordinary things to help secure the freedom that I enjoy in the great United States of America.
Bonita Wilborn is Managing Editor, Features Writer, and Advertising Manager at Mountain Valley News and North Jackson Press and can be reached via email at [email protected].
