Beginnings and endings and the dead ...
Its really strange what will start you down a particular thought track when you least expect it. The most ridiculous and minor things result in a look back at what is going on, what has come before, and what it all means to you. Whats even worse is that so often you barely understand it yourself and feel that those around you won't understand or feel like you are actually desecrating or trivializing important moments and situations with these connections you draw. But that isn't what you are doing, because to you, it really is all connected there in your own mind.
So, back on track. As you should know, I am a massive comic book geek. And as per usual, I was making my way through the week's contributions. And over in Legion of Three Worlds we were treated to the return of Bart Allen, otherwise known as Kid Flash or Impulse. This seems like a minor thing to most, but to me it started a number of balls rolling. It made me reread some stuff that I hadn't looked at for a long time and turned my thoughts to some people who deserved to be remembered.
We always joke that in comics no-one is truly dead. Eventually they will be resurrected or cloned or something. So when a hero dies, people take notice, but let it go after a while, knowing it is only fleeting. They forget the lessons and the impact of it all, moving on with life and that which surrounds them everyday. But to me, that is the last thing that should happen. Those final issues, whether they're the ones leading up to the death or the funeral issue itself, remind us of that which we should strive to emulate. Rereading those issues, I find words that tug at my heart, bringing sorrow that should be reserved for those that reside in the real world. I sit here and think 'Would I remember anyone in the same way, or would anyone remember me like that?' and hope that the answer is yes. I know its sad that I feel this way, but thats just the way it is.
These thoughts then lead me on to the heroes that have passed in my life, the people who have influenced me in ways that I can't even begin to explain. How I wish I could spend time with Rudi, who passed before I could really know him, but who is a true hero, in every way of the word. Even though his face has long since passed from my memory, his sacrifice and the person he is will always move me to help those around me. And then there is my grandfather, a man I will always draw inspiration and strength from. I pray that everyone can have someone like him in their life, someone who always pushed them to be the best they could be and that one day I can be seen as that person for someone else.
For this is what heroes do, especially after their passing. Their deeds and words continue to live on to inspire those who knew them or learn of them. For through this are they resurrected and returned to us, in our actions, in our deeds and in our thoughts. In the same way that those comic heroes return, so do they, helping us make a better tomorrow.
But someone doesn't have to die for people to be inspired, but curiously, death does occur in order for inspiration to occur. Be it the end of a story, the end of a battle, the end of a phase, or the end of a relationship, every single end or death leaves a little bit of inspiration in us to make the next thing to happen better. Sometimes we fail at that, but that still serves to inspire us again to try harder. Sometimes the futile gestures are in fact that most important ones that we need to see to a conclusion, for without them we cannot serve to define ourselves.
All these thoughts billow through my head at the moment, chasing themselves from one corner to another. They paralyze me with indecision, serving to make me question everything about myself and my actions. But I cannot allow it. Even if my actions are futile, I must take heart from those that inspire. For even they were once faced with these options and it would be a slap in their faces if I did not at least try. Every beginning comes from some sort of ending and every new phase starts with an action.
So, back on track. As you should know, I am a massive comic book geek. And as per usual, I was making my way through the week's contributions. And over in Legion of Three Worlds we were treated to the return of Bart Allen, otherwise known as Kid Flash or Impulse. This seems like a minor thing to most, but to me it started a number of balls rolling. It made me reread some stuff that I hadn't looked at for a long time and turned my thoughts to some people who deserved to be remembered.
We always joke that in comics no-one is truly dead. Eventually they will be resurrected or cloned or something. So when a hero dies, people take notice, but let it go after a while, knowing it is only fleeting. They forget the lessons and the impact of it all, moving on with life and that which surrounds them everyday. But to me, that is the last thing that should happen. Those final issues, whether they're the ones leading up to the death or the funeral issue itself, remind us of that which we should strive to emulate. Rereading those issues, I find words that tug at my heart, bringing sorrow that should be reserved for those that reside in the real world. I sit here and think 'Would I remember anyone in the same way, or would anyone remember me like that?' and hope that the answer is yes. I know its sad that I feel this way, but thats just the way it is.
These thoughts then lead me on to the heroes that have passed in my life, the people who have influenced me in ways that I can't even begin to explain. How I wish I could spend time with Rudi, who passed before I could really know him, but who is a true hero, in every way of the word. Even though his face has long since passed from my memory, his sacrifice and the person he is will always move me to help those around me. And then there is my grandfather, a man I will always draw inspiration and strength from. I pray that everyone can have someone like him in their life, someone who always pushed them to be the best they could be and that one day I can be seen as that person for someone else.
For this is what heroes do, especially after their passing. Their deeds and words continue to live on to inspire those who knew them or learn of them. For through this are they resurrected and returned to us, in our actions, in our deeds and in our thoughts. In the same way that those comic heroes return, so do they, helping us make a better tomorrow.
But someone doesn't have to die for people to be inspired, but curiously, death does occur in order for inspiration to occur. Be it the end of a story, the end of a battle, the end of a phase, or the end of a relationship, every single end or death leaves a little bit of inspiration in us to make the next thing to happen better. Sometimes we fail at that, but that still serves to inspire us again to try harder. Sometimes the futile gestures are in fact that most important ones that we need to see to a conclusion, for without them we cannot serve to define ourselves.
All these thoughts billow through my head at the moment, chasing themselves from one corner to another. They paralyze me with indecision, serving to make me question everything about myself and my actions. But I cannot allow it. Even if my actions are futile, I must take heart from those that inspire. For even they were once faced with these options and it would be a slap in their faces if I did not at least try. Every beginning comes from some sort of ending and every new phase starts with an action.