Who Is Your Hero?

Do you have a personal hero? Tell us about them. It doesn’t have to be perfect to make a difference in someone else’s life.

Your Everyday Hero: Olinda C.

"Never give up hope in humanity, no matter how many times people fail, your heart breaks or dreams are shattered- just keep hoping." My mother said the prior quote. Inspiring words from a woman who has at times received a raw deal from life - a business going broke, poverty and a husband's unemployment. She reminds me that whatever one goes through one is going right through it and not staying in that dark tunnel forever - just keep hoping.

When we got evicted from our house and had to stay on a distant farm, the prospect of no running water, no electricity and cramped quarters petrified me. But I had to hope for better things to come - if not for my sake then for my mother's sake. Hope builds upon hope and that is its strength. She has taught me that hope at the end of the day makes you smile even when you don't know where your next meal is coming from. It makes you laugh even if you have not a penny to your name. It was that hope that gave us all dreams to cherish and inspire us, hope that keeps the family intact even though we all had nothing left, we had each other. Hope that she had strengthened us all to believe that even though it's raining the sun can still shine through the rain and produce an even more beautiful thing - a rainbow!

Story was submitted anonymously