Heather McIlvaine-Newsad, commentator for Tri States Public Radio, recently told listeners:

“I hope that the stories we tell about this historic time reflect what the late Joseph Campbell called the hero’s journey.  Campbell was an American professor of literature at Sarah Lawrence College who during the Great Depression spent five years reading sacred texts and stories from religious traditions the world over. He identified several common underlying themes in many of the stories.  One theme he labeled the hero’s journey.  These stories have characters who are called to adventure, emerge victorious from a crisis, and then return to the ordinary world to help others.  During the latest crisis to face humanity, there are many heroes who have stepped out of their comfort zones, battled adversity, and are now returning to a more tranquil and normal life.  From the health care providers who cared for the ill and dying, to the scientists who created the vaccines, the frontline workers whose jobs could not be done remotely, and the thousands of volunteers who helped distribute food to those who found themselves out of work and in need.  These are a few of the many heroes in the story of our time.  Each and every act of empathy and kindness exhibited by these heroes defines what it means to be human. ”

To read or listen to more of McIlvaine-Newsad’s commentary on heroes, click here.