When most people hear the word "hero," they think of the man with tights and a cape.
People expect heroes to make the quick change into their alter ego, and swoop in from the sky just in the nick of time to save the day from disaster. Growing up in McLean, I’ve been intrigued by the superheroes fighting off the bad guys in comic books. Internally, I cheered as the city was safe for another day. Tying a cape around my shoulders, I would pretend to be Superman, activating my laser vision on all in my sight, or the mighty Thor, waving around my hammer of gold. I have yet to see someone in McLean swoop in from the skies, or possess the Odinforce.
However, I have seen some pretty remarkable superheroes.
The heart of the CIA pulses in the Langley area of McLean. Men and women in business suits scurry in and out of the building with an air of mystery. The fortress, famed for its secrecy, is evidence of the well oiled machine of the government. America’s Batmen and Batwomen – the CIA agents, are saving the world that we see whizzing by under our noses. These men and women are resolving conflict, and, in many cases, are risking their lives. They have to sacrifice time with their families to commit to their jobs, and ultimately, their country.
"All of a sudden, I had transported my family across the country, taken a big pay cut, folded up my house in California, and rented a place in Washington, and I was working for a man who really did not understand what I was trying to do," explains former Director of the Office of Science and Technology Albert Wheelon in an interview about his involvement with the CIA during the Cold War.
Take a leisurely drive through the suburban streets of McLean, and you’ll occasionally see cloth banners hanging on the front doors of houses. A blue star printed on a white background with a red border running along its sides, merely the size of a sheet of paper, holds the basis of which this country was founded upon. Growing up, I would pass those houses and think "Oh, what a nice decoration." I was unaware that the families of those serving in the military would hang those banners as a physical representation of the sacrifices that would be made in wars so far away from my sheltered bubble. For many residents of McLean, conflicts seem so far away. We see it on the news every night, and think "Oh dear, I can’t believe that people are dying." The moment you pass those banners is when you come to the sudden realization of how real the consequences are on the frontlines in comparison to our mundane lives. Soldiers aren’t just people who get shipped off to conflicts; they’re our neighbors.
We can’t forget about our local heroes – the ones on call day in and day out. Who do we call in a medical emergency? Who do we see annually at McLean Day, educating the community about what they do? The volunteer fire and police departments, as well as the emergency medical services play a critical role in our everyday lives, whether we take note of it or not. My earliest memory of McLean Day was climbing into a red fire truck. My mouth was agape as my toddler self was floored in wonder at the shiny metal and the fire hose. The firemen and firewomen make a conscious effort to reach out and educate society about fire safety. The police department also lends out a hand to the community of education. I remained giddy with excitement as I sat through a presentation by a police officer at my elementary school. I still remember racing home with a plan to share with my family all that the police taught us on what to do in emergency situations. These volunteer heroes don’t just carry out their duties in a mediocre fashion, but go above and beyond their calling.
The most overlooked heroes are right next to you. You see them in the grocery store, in the library. Without its volunteers, McLean would not be the progressive suburb that it currently is. People willing to give their time to straighten up bookshelves, or help at a children’s program save not only money for the organization, but their acts of kindness resonate throughout the community.
Say, for example, someone volunteers at a program designed for disabled children. The program has volunteers care for the children, so that the parents could have a day off. Long term effects include the parents being able to fully contribute to create a healthy community.
A task as mundane as helping straighten up the bookshelves at the library could be an act of graciousness. Who knows? Maybe seeing a library with organized and straightened bookshelves
could encourage people to return to the library to read.
A hero needn’t be a member of the CIA, or have to fight battles overseas. Take a look at Captain America. He started out as the scrawny Steve Rogers, a military brainiac. Everyone else around him had the capacity to crawl through barbed wire, or had the ability to execute countless pushups. And yet none of them were willing to sacrifice themselves and cover the grenade before it blew up their troop mates. All except Steve Rogers. Eventually, he would continue on to save the world from destruction. Do you ever think, "I’m just a human, how could I ever be special?"
Are there times when you feel as if you’re just slugging through yet another nine to five workday, only to come home too tired to do anything useful? Remember the heroes of McLean – the sacrifices that they have made, and how it didn’t take much to save the world.