Your Inner Superhero

Living three blocks from Sony Studios, I often hear the cha-ching of their successful film franchises through the studio walls. In fact, that’s one reason I leave my windows open, hoping for a windstorm to blow some cash my way, but the steady stream of Brinks trucks rolling out of the gate soon blows my fantasy out of the window.

Imagine my surprise when I saw one of their biggest -- and I mean their biggest franchise stars slithering along the outer wall of stage 29 -- none other than Spider-Man himself.

With Sony rolling out the big guns for the premiere of Spider-Man 3, it’s no wonder Spider-Man has spun his web over the usually unostentatious Washington Boulevard, nestled on the back lot of Culver City.

The first two Spider-Man films had a combined worldwide theatrical gross of $1.6 billion. After footing the bill of over $300 million to produce Spider-Man 3, Wall Street film financing specialists are calling it the most expensive film ever made.

All of this got me thinking about superheroes and the role they play in our society. We’re so quick to praise a superhero, be it an athlete, actor, model, or anyone famous, when we don’t praise the people in our lives who mean the most to us -- the real superheroes.

The people who help us build our character, nobility and moral fiber, the teachers who inspire and push us to strive, the inner guides that give us confidence, courage and ability to be the best in our fields and to be decent human beings.

Have you ever felt like a superhero? Like you’re on top of the world? Fighting the injustices of society and standing up for what’s right? It makes you feel like you can do anything doesn’t it?

You can be a superhero just by being the best person you can be right now in this moment. You don’t have to have extraordinary powers, wear a skintight unitard, a mask, fly through the air, leap tall buildings in a single bound, dodge speeding bullets, or have special equipment to get you out of dangerous situations.

I think the basis for super heroism comes from living your life. What is the bravest thing you’ve ever done? Follow a difficult career path? Ask for a raise? Propose marriage? Have a baby? Raise kids? Whatever it is, it took strength to carry out your decision. Strength you drew from you superhero reserve.

I’ve had bouts of super heroism, including returning purses, wallets, cell phones and too much change. Just last week I received the wrong mail (again) -- an unsealed envelope with a $100. bill hanging out. I hand delivered it to the right person myself who was very grateful and shocked that honest people still exist.

I've also given directions, assisted strangers, reunited wandering toddlers with their unmindful parents at the mall, given my time to people and listened to them unburden themselves. Things that I didn’t think were a big deal and didn’t take much out of my day, but things that were a big deal to the recipients. Most of the time, people just want to know that they are not alone.

Others donate time or money anonymously, perform CPR, or save lives in other ways. A friend of mine even ran across traffic to stop a car that was rolling backwards out of a gas station driveway.

Our superheroes are not really foreign, it is a natural inclination to assist -- proving that the core reason we are all here is to protect and love each other; although those inclinations get seriously derailed at times.

In Spider-Man 3, Spider-Man finally succumbs to the dark side, giving up his good nature for a conflicted one. His suit turns black to reflect his downward spiral and the blackness of his essence.

The real gist of super heroism is that it takes super human strength to seek a path of self-knowledge and battle the dark side of human nature. We’re constantly battling our dark side, a superhero fights the dark side, he doesn’t become it.

Super heroism comes from a knowingness that Soul is invincible and it exists because a force greater than us loves us -- unconditionally. It comes from an self-assurance that we can conquer our battles and understand that they are a necessary part of life.

All we have to do is channel the pure force within us. Be the inspiration to others. Be the voice of reason. The fount of knowledge. The bridge of compassion. The heart of love. We must be our own superhero. Until we can be a superhero to ourselves, we can't be one to anyone else.

Though it takes super human strength to be a superhero, it is worth the fight to get to the source of our existence. We already have what it takes to win the battle. We can't be afraid to fight.

Who knows, maybe one day there will be a film made about us, but even if that doesn’t happen, we know that God is directing us anyway and always so we can start our own franchise of good will.