Could it be that I'm a 'Real'?
Read this first:
http://articles.citypages.com/2008-01-16/feature/superheroes-in-real-life/full/
I read this sort of thing, and I cant help but think about my night time 'walks' that I used to take back when I used to live in Walla Walla. I had special gear I wore, a special outfit of sorts to make sure it hard to know who I was. But it was not flamboyant, brightly colored, So it was easy to blend in to the night..
I remember how I would walk around town, often in the less well lit parts of town, looking for people to help, protect, give directions, and even sometimes find myself in situations that allowed me to be a Good Samaritan or just required me to protect myself after putting myself in a situation that was sub optimal for me but greatly helped out somebody else who was defenseless. I remember the ex cons that often got released from the state pen just outside of town, and how they usually wandered around looking for trouble at night until a few hours after closing time. I remember the fear, the screams of people who thought that they where defenseless, with nobody to help them against the onslaught of there attacker. I remember the pain of protecting them, taking the attacks on myself, the sometimes huge amount of effort involved just to will my body to get up and take a stand when I was knocked down. I'm not invincible. I remember the feeling of how right it was that I just faded (limping, sometimes) into the night after helping. Sure, usually I just finished the walk without issue or trouble. Sure, it was a rare thing to be able to help and I could not help anybody every night, but even if there was weeks of nothing, the one chance to help made it all worth it in the end.
I have been doing some thinking, and I really really miss that. It was really one of the few things in my life that I have absolutely no hangups, shame, or regrets about doing. When I think about the link above, I can not help but think about the 'Reals' and known that its something True. Its hard to explain, but I get this feeling of great joy that just takes control of me, makes me cry, gives me hope, makes me know that life is not wasted if you love enough to care enough to try to help people in need. When I think about it, I just know that its something True, something worth doing.
And I feel it is important to note that this is not the media I love to watch talking. I love to watch the sort of media I do - Angel, and now Heros - because I feel that it supports the right ideals, that being a hero is the right thing to do, so I support the sort of ideal where people who can help even if its just buying copies of the TV show that shows doing so in a positive light. Esentualy, I feel that I am voting with my wallet.
So I have made the choice. If I ever get back in to a situation that allows it, I will do my 'walks' again, and if a fellow Real ever needs my help, I will gladly give it.
http://articles.citypages.com/2008-01-16/feature/superheroes-in-real-life/full/
I read this sort of thing, and I cant help but think about my night time 'walks' that I used to take back when I used to live in Walla Walla. I had special gear I wore, a special outfit of sorts to make sure it hard to know who I was. But it was not flamboyant, brightly colored, So it was easy to blend in to the night..
I remember how I would walk around town, often in the less well lit parts of town, looking for people to help, protect, give directions, and even sometimes find myself in situations that allowed me to be a Good Samaritan or just required me to protect myself after putting myself in a situation that was sub optimal for me but greatly helped out somebody else who was defenseless. I remember the ex cons that often got released from the state pen just outside of town, and how they usually wandered around looking for trouble at night until a few hours after closing time. I remember the fear, the screams of people who thought that they where defenseless, with nobody to help them against the onslaught of there attacker. I remember the pain of protecting them, taking the attacks on myself, the sometimes huge amount of effort involved just to will my body to get up and take a stand when I was knocked down. I'm not invincible. I remember the feeling of how right it was that I just faded (limping, sometimes) into the night after helping. Sure, usually I just finished the walk without issue or trouble. Sure, it was a rare thing to be able to help and I could not help anybody every night, but even if there was weeks of nothing, the one chance to help made it all worth it in the end.
I have been doing some thinking, and I really really miss that. It was really one of the few things in my life that I have absolutely no hangups, shame, or regrets about doing. When I think about the link above, I can not help but think about the 'Reals' and known that its something True. Its hard to explain, but I get this feeling of great joy that just takes control of me, makes me cry, gives me hope, makes me know that life is not wasted if you love enough to care enough to try to help people in need. When I think about it, I just know that its something True, something worth doing.
And I feel it is important to note that this is not the media I love to watch talking. I love to watch the sort of media I do - Angel, and now Heros - because I feel that it supports the right ideals, that being a hero is the right thing to do, so I support the sort of ideal where people who can help even if its just buying copies of the TV show that shows doing so in a positive light. Esentualy, I feel that I am voting with my wallet.
So I have made the choice. If I ever get back in to a situation that allows it, I will do my 'walks' again, and if a fellow Real ever needs my help, I will gladly give it.