Edy Gies
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Jane of all Trades

master of none

We Need Heroes

4/2/2018

6 Comments

 
PictureKids need someone to look up to as navigate life.
     After many years of teaching and parenting I have discovered something. Attempting to teach something as a negative is extremely difficult. Human nature and our amazing brains can come up with a million other things to do when told “don’t.” Tell a classroom full of most any age students, “Don’t talk,” and soon you will hear whispering, humming, singing, the scribbling of note writing, singing, and using every form of communication other than talking. I’ve asked a classroom full of preschoolers about what our rules should be and they came up with, “No hitting,” but that wasn’t enough because as a little person pointed out, “kicking isn’t nice either.” So we ended up with “no hitting, no kicking, no spitting, no slapping, no hair pulling, no poking, no punching,” and the list goes on and on. After doing this for a minute or so I would stop the class and say, “Yes, those things aren’t nice. Let’s make our rule ‘Be kind and help each other.’” What I was trying to do was to change the negative to a positive. “Don’t run,” is better worded as, “Walk carefully.” I’ve heard people criticize positive wording  as being overly sensitive and espousing the idea that kids these days are too soft to hear the word “no”. I disagree and would argue that telling children what we expect from them and what kind of behavior they should exhibit will allow them to succeed.
     I think we need to apply this to the people we are exposing our children too. I am tired of weak, stupid characters in TV and movies who do what is best for themselves. I am tired of celebrities who speak with apparent passion and authority about social issues then go back to living the lives of the rich and famous. I am tired of video games and apps that mindlessly entertain without instructing our children about anything useful. We tell our girls to be women who are powerful and strong then let them keep up with the Kardashians. We tell our boys to look for girls who are confident and followers of Christ, but we let them lose on social media where the goal of being “liked” by other people reigns supreme. We tell our kids to grow up, be successful, serve God, but then cling to news of celebrities whose version of those things are very different  from our own. This must change. 
     Heroes. In our present political and social climate we have lost the love of heroes. We are quick to point out the failures of people and note where they failed. We use the fact that George Washington was a slaveholder to shadow all his other accomplishments. This can be dangerous because when we are done picking everyone apart what are we left with but a bunch of failures? Why should anyone bother trying to be successful. Now, I am not saying that we should blindly worship other humans and never notice their moral failures. Slavery is abhorrent so when we study George Washington we should note his failure in this area but look with admiration toward men like William Wilberforce who fought tirelessly to eliminate slavery, Then we can evaluate Washington's character, acknowledging that flaw, but learning from his other positive character traits.
      We need to stop telling our kids what not to do and let them find heroes. Heroes who have changed the world and can inspire our children. We are not lacking for heroes. Brave men and women who have stopped diseases, stood up to tyranny, lead countries, boldly lived out the gospel, or pushed their bodies in physical and mental exertion.
     The following is a list of individuals I’ve found inspiring. I 'm not an expert in their personal lives and you may find they did something objectionable in their life. But, uh, if I could be so bold . . . you probably have too. I'm not thrilled with the idea of my life story being front and center, because just like you I am imperfect. They are human there will be negatives along with the positives. But these are people who have been brave, courageous, and have done something for which they should be remembered. Perhaps their story will inspire you or your child to greatness.
I don’t have gender specific lists and here’s why: I want my son to hear stories of brave women who stood for what was right. I want the girls I know to read stories of men who did what was right and loved the world because God loved them. Boys need to learn to respect strong women. Girls need to look at men who possess qualities they can cultivate in their own lives. 
Here are few of my heroes in no particular order:
Gladys Alward
Detrich Bonehoffer
Corrie Ten Boom
C.S. Lewis
Theodore Roosevelt
Alexander Hamilton
​Amy Carmichael
The Wright Brothers
William Wilberforce
Elizabeth Elliot
Lillian Trasher
Harriet Tubman
Clara Barton
Louis Zamperini
Hellen Keller
Anne Sullivan
Fanny Crosby
Malala
Eric Liddell
John Adams
Abigail Adams
Charles Lindberg
Queen Victoria
Abraham Lincoln
Nelly Bly
​Jim Thorpe


 

6 Comments
Sheri Bryant
4/6/2018 12:59:22 pm

This is so wonderful! Thank you for the reminders.

Reply
Tom Marshall
4/6/2018 08:39:59 pm

Yes, let's focus on how to do things well.
Rock on!

Reply
Edy Gies
4/17/2018 09:02:40 am

Thank you so much for the encouragement!

Reply
Nicole Peterson
4/7/2018 01:30:35 am

You have never failed to inspire me!

Reply
Kristopher Schaal
4/16/2018 01:04:13 am

Great thoughts, Aunt Edy! Just out of curiosity, I would be interested to hear your thoughts on Hamilton. I haven’t seen the Broadway or read a biography specifically on him, but if I remember correctly, David McCullough gives him a pretty bad rap in his biography on John Adams!

Reply
Edy Gies
4/17/2018 09:01:50 am

Hamilton does get a really bad rap in the Adams biography. They did NOT get along even they were of the same party. I think you would like the Ron Chernow biography of Hamilton. He touches on Adams briefly and the animosity between the two leaders. I have learned to love Hamilton because of his incessant hard work and brilliant planning and foresight. Without his financial system the United States would not be the world power and with a high GDP that we are today. He read and worked with ambition. One story that is illustrative of his character and why I think he is worthy of viewing as a hero is as follows: The Sons of Liberty were gathered and beginning to get rowdy. They headed toward the Tory head of Kings College where Hamilton was studying. He was in favor of separation from England and was actively working towards that end, but when the crowd turned violent and left the realm of civilized protest he stood alone in the president's doorway giving him time to escape before the angry mob attacked him. The crowd was furious with Hamilton and he could have lost all influence regarding the break with Britain as well as suffered bodily harm, but he did what was right because he would not support a revolution that was moved by passion and violence. He proved this later when he didn't stand behind the French Revolution either. He made some MAJOR mistakes in his life including having an affair and paying blackmail to cover it up, but he repented and reconciled with his wife. I believe that he is well worth studying. Don't worry though. My heart will always hold a sweet spot for John Adams even if he doesn't get his own Broadway musical. He knew he wouldn't get his own musical! I love Adams for his brilliance, but also his insecurities about his height, weight, and how history would view him. McCullough did an amazing job at telling Adams's story and making him someone I could absolutely relate to.

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    "A jack of all trades is a master of none, but oftentimes better than a master of one."

    This is  my journey. I write about my physical, mental, and literary journeys. I invite you to join in adventures with me because I love this life and I want you to see how beautiful it is too. Check out my bio on the This Is Me page for more information.

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