True heroes are found in the everyday

Leonard Cohen in his legendary song Suzanne penned the enigmatic phrase, ‘…there are heroes in the seaweed’.

Perhaps he was talking about the bravery of sailors who lost their lives in fierce raging seas.

In any event, one fact is certain: there are heroes everywhere, if we only care to seek out and acknowledge them.

In this edition we carry the story of two German Rotarians, who upon graduating as young medical doctors pledged two percent of their future earnings to providing health care in Africa, bravely hopped into a Kombi and drove through the Sahara Desert to look for places to make a difference.

They ended up in Zululand, the same place where earlier this week young Beth Laas put her own safety on hold to rescue her little sister from drowning – a wonderful act of instinctive courage and devotion by a 12-year-old.

Such heroism is not in isolation, and it is not always headline-making.

Each day, policemen and women, fire fighters, paramedics, nurses and soldiers roll the dice of fate as they go where angels fear to tread.

But it’s not just about dodging bullets or rushing inside burning buildings.

There are those who sacrifice their time, money and energy to help street kids, widows and orphans.

Others take upon themselves the tough task of providing care for the elderly or running soup kitchens for the homeless.

Some bring healthcare to some obscure part of the region.

Volunteer helpers queue up to fight cancer, poverty, drug addiction and lack of education.

Parents take on two jobs, ‘moonlighting’ to keep food on the table.

We salute the selflessness and bravery under challenging circumstances that is inside every person and which sometimes comes to the fore.

It’s also a good time to reflect on true role models, and why we perhaps give mindless adulation to many who have done little for their fellow man, other than rake in money for their talents.