Elaine Alsop

Elaine AlsopMy mother as a teen with your friend.Heroes are born every day. However, many seem to struggle with identifying what makes a hero. My hero has saved the lives of many strangers; however, she has also saved my life. It may seem cliche to say that your hero is your mother, but my mother is anything but cliche.

My mother was born September 22, 1948. She had a hard life growing up, but that didn't seem to stop her. Her father, my great-grandfather, died when she was very young. He was significantly older than her mother, but that didn't bother my mother. She loved to go raccoon hunting with him late at night in the woods. Once her father died, she was left to the mercy of her "old way of thinking" mother who was not "Mother of the Year" material. My mother wanted to be a scientist and work for NASA when she graduated high school, but her mother only gave her the choice of teacher or nurse. Therefore, when my mother graduated, she headed for nursing school at the mere age of 16--my mother was very smart, too. She, of course, graduated at the top of her class and went on to help thousands of lives.

Elaine AlsopMy mother as a nurse early in her life.My mother has inspired me to be an educated and self-sufficient woman. Without her, I may not have possessed such self-confidence and overflowing energy to do my best. I know that some kids have seen the same horrors I have growing up, but I hope each one can find that one candle in the darkness. That one candle that shows you life can get better. My mother was not the candle, but the person who lit it.

Her actions gave new life to Martin Luther King Jr.'s words: "We must combine the toughness of the serpent and the softness of the dove, a tough mind and a tender heart." Now I know the importance of standing up for what I believe in and the significance of empathy for others. I am quick to take action and quick to forgive. I hope my mother will always know she is my definition of a hero.