Of Heroes, None

Champions come in all shapes and forms. The same is true of cowards. Most of us line up somewhere between these two extremes of potential, but none of us eagerly anticipate having to prove ourselves in a crossfire.

In fact, most notable acts of heroism are not the results of well-considered, carefully laid plans. Rather, these are often spontaneous yet deliberate demonstrations of selflessness occasionally on display when normal human beings must confront life-threatening risk.

Take a deep, calming breath now before you dare gaze into the face of death. Trembling, heed its heckling catcalls. Of broken people living broken lives; of ever hopeful children slowly ground into cynical adults beneath crushing realities; of good men trapped in bad places and of bad men working good deeds; of tangible human guilt and scatological human torment; such twisted threads weave life's strange tapestries. Of redemptions failed or delivered, here find disturbing variations, and of heroes, none.