funny bone

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As my parents’ anniversary approaches, I’m reminded of my brave Mom during what seems like forever ago. It’s a subject I’m not great about discussing, so I won’t right now. But it does make me think about COURAGE and how we don’t really know if we have it until we need it (no matter how well we think we know ourselves).

The Heroes Among Us —

This week three courageous heroes came into my consciousness.

In the L.A. Times this week I read an inspirational article about Iron Man competitor Clayton Treska who is battling stage 4 cancer. I’m not really a big sports fan, but the article caught my eye because of Clayton’s amazing attitude.  Not only has this superman shown his courage as a Marine in Iraq, but after receiving horrible news about his health when he returned home from duty, he began training for one of the toughest competitions in the world. Undaunted by chemo treatments, stem-cell treatments, weight-loss and all of the challenges, Competitor Clayton is fighting back. I don’t know about you, but in my mind, no matter how he does in the triathlon, Clayton’s a WINNER.

The next hero of my week, is in today’s L.A. Times – Victor Perez a really really REALLY good Samaritan who helped free a captive girl. This wonderful unemployed construction worker took an Amber Alert as a personal challenge and actually recognized the truck with the abductor driving, chased it down and saved the kidnapped 8 year-old’s life. It sounds like a TV movie right? (I’m sure it will be!) How many people do you know who would risk everything to save a stranger? Have you ever met anyone that brave? Don’t you wonder if you could ever be that brave if put to the test? I do.

The third hero of my week is this 85 year-old repeat Patient (in the ER where I volunteer) with tubes coming in and out of every “who-wa.” Every time a tube falls out, he has to come into the hospital to have it replaced by a radiologist. This still-handsome old guy has a huge hernia, a missing bladder and a long list of other issues, but whenever he comes into the ER, he jokes with the doctors; he’s a giant flirt with the nurses and whenever it’s time for him to leave, he always says, “keep smiling.”

I know my mom would love “Still Handsome.” He has her same attitude about “finding the funny” in situations that are totally NOT.

Finding the funny even when it hurts is really courageous when I think about it.

But then, I wasn’t gonna talk about my Mom…

(Who are your real superheroes?)

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