The Little Things in Life

In the comic book world of superheroes, the small hero is the butt of all jokes. Captain America for example. He is my favorite hero because he had the qualities of a hero before Steve Rogers was Captain America, that’s what made him a hero. Unfortunately not everybody shares my point of view (though it’d be a very boring planet if they did) and instead Rogers was harassed by people who were bigger than him. In the real world we see the same thing happen to the ‘little heroes’ in life. Now I’m not talking about children, (I will get to that hero later) I’m talking about the little people in life. The people who work at places like fast-food restaurants, gas stations, libraries, coffee shops, retail stores, and grocery stores (just to name a few). In the comic book world, they are much like Rogers, heroes with powers that are seen as ‘insignificant’ and ‘menial’. Why? Because they aren’t flashy and showy! I once got in an argument with my little brother’s best friend because he refused to admit that Captain America was a superhero simply because he didn’t have flamboyant powers like Iron Man or Thor. That is how the world views these heroes! They see them as little and insignificant, meaningless and menial. As Milan Kundera once said, “There are no small parts. Only small actors.” Imagine for a moment a world without little heroes, where everybody tried to work the job of the ‘flamboyant’ and ‘showy’ characters. Can you imagine a world of only lawyers? How would we get a morning cup of coffee when we’re running late without someone to work a Starbucks? Nobody would need a lawyer, because they’d be one themselves. The world would descend into pure chaos without the little people to help make ends meet. In a clock, all the gears have to turn together in order for the clock to continue spinning. Sometimes, the smallest gear is the one that keeps the big gears going. Even if the smallest gear went missing, the whole clock would stop operating without it. That is exactly how our world is. We can’t function without the little people. The ‘bigger’ people try and demean the little people by saying their insignificant and worthless. But how ‘big’ would those people be if they didn’t have little people to help them up and make them function. These heroes may be small, but they can make a huge difference. Even in the superhero world the little people, or ‘sidekicks’, keep the hero from completely falling apart. Think about how Batman would survive without Robin or Alfred. In a movie, everyone appraises the actors for their brilliant portrayal of the characters. In our society the people on camera are appraised and at the highest class of our society. But nobody ever takes a second glance at the credits to the guy behind the camera. The actors would be nothing without the crew of technicians, writers, camera men, make up artist, set designers, and all of the little people it takes to make the movie look amazing! Yes, the actors are important, but nobody cares to look at the people who are shining the spotlights down. Most people want to look over these small heroes, but I refuse. It’s the Little Things in Life that make it all worthwhile. So why don’t we appreciate these little things? Just as previous heroes before, don’t take advantage of these heroes’ kind deeds simply because you think your better than them. Be thankful and kind, ask them how their day was instead of expecting them to love hearing about your drama. If we overlook these heroes than we will only bring our own downfall. We have all seen the Hollywood cliché of the hero that turns into a villain, but what nobody realizes is that really happens! Those of us drama geeks who have followed the play Wicked can never see The Wizard of Oz the same again. Elphaba was once a misunderstood, fiery, and talented girl that became the Wicked Witch of the West because everyone treated her badly. They made fun of her appearance and the fact that she was different. Heroes turn into villains all the time in comic book world and real life. So let’s not waste another moment and risk letting these valuable heroes turn against us. Take the time to appreciate the Little Things in Life.