Thursday, May 10, 2012

All American Heroes

It sure has been a while, and boy do I have a lot to talk about. I’m not sure why I have these ups and downs with posting new material, or writing it for that matter. I never run out of things to write about but for some reason I sometimes I just don’t write. And sometimes I do. I think my real problem is laziness. I have excuses for my laziness, Facebook is a big one, I’m also addicted to Hulu. These are the distractions that prevent me from writing, working harder, having more friends etc. But they aren’t are they? They are just cop-outs. The real distraction is me. It’s my own mind. I chose to watch 37 episodes of pawn stars in a row instead of creating something new or writing another ridiculous blog and something has got to change.
 I would like to talk about my heroes now. We all have them, men or women who we admire and look up to. Most people simply think of a hero as someone whom they want to be like. While this is true to some degree it misses the point of what a hero should be. A hero should be a role model for how to live a productive meaningful life. A role model should inspire you to be who you are. A hero should inspire you to be a better version of yourself, not a shadow of them. I have three heroes: Teddy Roosevelt, Ernest Hemingway, and Eddie Bauer. Lets start with Ernest Hemingway.

Ernest Hemingway Was born in Illinois where he grew up. He enrolled in the Red Cross as an ambulance driver during World War I. He was sent to Italy and arrived as the German army was bombarding the country. He immediately saw action and after a very brief time on the front lines was seriously injured. Despite his injuries he carried an Italian solder to safety and received an Italian silver medal of bravery. (Similar to a medal of honor) “Cool.” You might say. But you have to remember that Hemingway was not even 18 years old at this time. How many 18-year-olds do you know that have the dedication and courage to stand up for what they believe in and fight, completely devoid of self, for another mans safety? Now Hemingway is famous for his novels but perhaps more famous, or infamous rather, for his personal life. He had 4 wives in his life, the first of which he took with him to Paris. While in Paris he met and befriended Gertrude Stein, James Joyce, and Ezra Pound and so began his writing career in earnest. He of course went on to be one of the most influential American writers in history. Hemingway was a man who knew what he wanted to do and he did it. No apologies. He wrote what he knew and never looked back. This is admirable. He was a scoundrel and a saint and a friend to many, and a drunk and a good man and a damn good writer. He lived his life on his own terms and even died on his own terms. He treated women with respect despite his many wives and was a gentleman to all, at least if he liked you. I admire him for his creativity and wisdom.

 Next we have a choice that might seem a little strange. Eddie Bauer. “The clothing guy?” Most people usually ask, and the answer is, “yes, the clothing guy.” Now I’m not a huge fan of the current Eddie Bauer lineup of clothes but there is much more to the story than that. Eddie Bauer was an adventurer and an entrepreneur. He started his business in the back of a sporting good shop in Seattle in 1920. It was originally called ‘Eddie Bauer’s Tennis Shop’. And he fixed tennis rackets in the summer time. Leaving the rest of the year for his adventures. It wasn’t until he experienced hypothermia on a fishing trip that he decided to turn his attention to outerwear. Eddie Bauer invented the down parka, as well as many other things like the regulation shuttlecock for badminton. His shuttlecock is still the standard of the sport today. He believed in himself and his product so much that he offered his customers an unconditional lifetime guarantee, a tradition that the store still honors. Isn’t that the way it should be? Shouldn’t all companies do that? Among his other notable accomplishment are: He outfitted all the early American attempts and the first successful American expedition to summit Everest. He brought the very first black lab into Washington State and bred them. He designed the first flight suits for the U.S. Air Force, and he outfitted the first and only successful accent of Everest’s east face. I like Eddie Bauer because he was a great businessman and a great person. He believed in his product, he cared about what he was selling. He took a $25 investment and turned it into a multi-million dollar corporation. He saw a need and filled it and is a great example that when you do something, and you do it with your whole heart, you can and will succeed; the perfect American success story. I admire him for his work ethic.

 And last but certainly not least, Teddy Roosevelt. This is the obvious choice. The quintessential mans man. I don’t need to go into to much history of him. We all know he was a badass. What didn’t Teddy do? He was a experienced naturalist, and a published ornithologist all before he graduated Harvard. He was a boxer a hunter, a conservationist, a cowboy, a statesman, a police commissioner, and an explorer, and oh yea, the president. He had a large hand in our national park systems and was an all around cool guy. He got SHOT IN THE CHEST AND DECLINED GOING TO THE HOSPITAL SO HE COULD FINISH HIS SPEECH! What a boss. He’s the kind of man you want to be but hate at the same time. He inspires you to get off your ass and do something. I admire him for his tenacity and determination.

 All these men have this in common. They did what they wanted, they never took no for an answer and in return didn’t answer to anyone. They looked at their lives through a lens of temperance, wisdom, and humility and always considered all sides and every possibility. They were slow to take credit and quick to admit fault. All things that we could all be a little bit more of.