There are people in my life whom I deeply admire, and who serve as heroes for me as I strive to follow their footsteps. Generally, my heroes are people who believe, intelligently and passionately, in something greater than themselves and dedicate themselves to living out those beliefs. Last week, I heard some good news about two of my heroes: my cousin Perry and Sister Dorothy.
Perry is the oldest child of my mom’s sister, and a lawyer in Oklahoma, who strongly believes that the death penalty is wrong. Regardless of your personal beliefs about the death penalty, there is no question that it is often unfairly and wrongly applied, and that there are a number of innocent people on death row. Although Perry could be a financially successful lawyer of another type, he has dedicated himself to defending people on death row, and working to get them off (surely not a popular job in Oklahoma), first as a lawyer for the Oklahoma Indigent Defense Service, the last line of appeals, and now as a partner in a law firm. Last week, he successfully got a client who had been in jail for 22 years released! Congratulations, Perry!
The same day I heard news about Sister Dorothy Stang, a dear friend of my family’s, a nun from Dayton, OH who loved the people of Brazil and lived as a missionary there for decades. She particularly worked to defend the rights of native farmers against ranchers who were determined to steal their land. After receiving a number of death threats, she was murdered in February 2005 by gunmen who were hired by the ranchers. The gunmen were easily convicted, but it was questionable if a guilty verdict could be found against the ranchers, who have a large amount of money and influence. Amazingly, in a landmark decision, one of the ranchers was found guilty last week! It is so unfortunate to me to be writing mainly about her death, because she had a joyful spirit, love for life, and a profound influence on everyone she met. However, I am sure she is rejoicing at the way justice is working, in both of these cases.
All of this makes me feel inspired and challenged to again look at the way I’m living my life, and how I could be more selflessly giving myself to what I believe in.
It also makes me curious: who are your heroes?
- Lauren
2 comments:
Lauren, Thanks for posting this. Dorothy and Perry are both heroes of mine as well. People who put something at risk for what they believe in, while continuing to respect the basic rights of their opponents are my heroes. I think about Dorothy sitting and talking with the men who were sent to kill her, trying to show them the love of God and the needs of the people even while knowing they intended to take her life. For me that's about as heroic as one can be.
I gave this considerably thought. My hero is anyone who faces adversity and remains positive. If I had to pick one, it would be Anne Sullivan, the teacher to Helen Keller. She is my HERO. Not neglecting all that Helen Keller went through but Anne Sullivan persevered. Love, Jan
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