Writings

Not a superhero, but an everydayhero.



Not all heroes need to wear capes. Some of them do, that’s true, but those are the kind of superheroes you see in a film or read about in a comic strip. But what about everydayheroes? I think there are plenty. We see them every day, but we just fail to realize they are heroes in their own way. Take my mother, for example. Her name is Monica. She was teacher until she retired in 2017. She does not seem to be either super nor a hero. But if you ask me who my hero is, I will say her name without any doubt. Let me tell you why.

First off, I would like to tell you more my mom. She was born on January 24th, 1967, in Ciudad de Buenos Aires. Born to Amelia (nicknamed by everyone ‘Cata’), whom did not finish primary school and Hugo Rubén, who worked from dusk until dawn, she knew the value of hard work and that she could achieve everything that she wanted if she just worked hard enough. As a child, she was never deterred by the simple life her family lived and always dreamt of making an impact, but not as her family and friends thought of first.

When she finished High School in the summer of 1984, everyone expected her to follow her big dreams and would go on to be a lawyer, or even a politician. But they were shocked when she signed up for the Teacher Training College. Many even wondered if her dreams of making an impact were long gone from her memory. In 1987, after graduating from the Escuela Normal Superior N°1 en Lenguas Vivas ‘Presidente Roque Sáenz Peña’ she would start her 35-year career and would prove everyone wrong in the process.

And here is where I came into the picture: I have seen her in a classroom since my memory serves. Since I was a little child, I had the pleasure of seeing her on the field. Never in a very fancy place, but she did follow up her dreams of making an impact. She worked until retirement in public schools, and always being more than just a teacher: I have seen her take shape into different roles: A mother, a nurse, a friend to confess to, a shoulder to cry on, an exceptional colleague, and on top of all those, she was a person who touched people’s lives.

And that is why, to sum up, I think that she is a hero. Not a superhero, but an everydayhero, with no spaces in between. She has made an impact in so many people, encouraging them to be their best version and to never give up, but she does not need a fancy cape or an elaborate costume to do her job. Her merit as a hero does not rely on having magic abilities or superpowers. She is just an everyday person; she is just like me, and just like you. And that is why she inspires me to be who I want to be. So, I want to say thank you mom: My everydayhero.