A lament increasingly voiced and heard in today’s world is “where are the heroes in the world today?” So many are longing for models of proper living in these times, often disappointed by political leaders, sports figures and celebrities. Parents are especially eager to raise up those they hope their children will look up to and model themselves after.
In recent years, many have highlighted the “everyday heroes” in our midst; first responders in civil service, those in the armed forces and educators. But while we raise these professions up, they do not receive the compensation (a critical measure of just what we value) that reflects our praise, a message our children read loud and clear.
Adding to this dilemma is how we eventually honor our heroes. Our nation was shocked and traumatized on January 28, 1986, when the Challenger exploded on its mission to widen the vision of space travel. In the years that followed, many communities sought to honor Christa McAuliffe, the New Hampshire school teacher who died on that mission, in an effort to show the potential for space travel to be something for more than just trained astronauts.