I was sitting in the SF airport, when I read a United Airlines pamphlet on "heros". I began to think what this meant for me.
One very important little person came to mind.I immediately fixed on my 20 month old daughter. She’s shown the spirit and innocence of a hero without the self knowledge of being one.
My daughter was born with a club-foot.
Since her birth, she has never known a life without a cast, a brace, or what it feels like to walk "normally". I have watched her courage and tolerance with dozens of Doctors, castings, X-rays, and manipulations. I have watched her determination, excitement and frustration as she becomes more and more aware of her body and her adversities.
It is not a typical clubfoot.
The most amazing thing to me is that life is normal to her, and in all respects it is. The difficulty and pain she may face every day is something that she has always known.
She is now walking on her own.
I am amazed to see
her pure joy and spirit as she hobbles from one place to another. I see
how people react to imperfect things. I watch how they treat her, and
us. I believe there are normal people doing extraordinary things every
day. What makes them heroes to me is their consistency and innocence.She
is my hero because of her tenacity and joy. She tirelessly moves on, because
she knows no other way. She is a hero to me because she does not know
what she does.
I love the heart of my unlikely hero,
My daughter Chloe. index