Where are our Hero's?

I am watching, "I am Legend", and the main character is trying to explain how he named his child after the great reggae legend Bob Marley. He explains how Marley was scheduled to sing at a peace rally when a gunman came into his home and shot him down, yet he still got up on stage 2 days later and performed. Marley expressed how hate does not take a day off, so how can he?
I was born in the 60's.
I grew up with hero's of unity and love like Bob Marley, JFK, Martin Luther King, Mother Teresa, Ghandi; all the heros that changed this world we live in today.
I asked, where have all our hero's gone? Have our dreams of hope died with a few good men?
Are we so selfish and able to sit on the laurels of others struggles that we are willing to let our children die in a world where violence, hatred, the greed of politicians and corporate America supersede all the work the hero's of my childhood worked for?
Then I looked at myself. What am I willing to do?
These same things President Obama asked of us four short years ago when he chanted, "It's time for change".
What are you willing to do for your country?
This year, it's time to stand up.
To stop asking what the world can do for us, but what can we do for our neighbor.
I have always thought being kind and good were good enough, but my silence is simply a passive acceptance of the way things have become, and it's not good enough.
I have been one to yell, "what do you stand for", but in fact, what do I stand for?
I have spent the last 16 years living for my kids - wanting to raise good people, but those little people are becoming big people. People I have to let go. People that are going out into the world on their own to hopefully make a change. As much as I have stood for being the best mom I can be, for being the best person, I haven't gotten out there and acted on my passions in years. I have acted safely. I have tried to keep my kids educated and safe. I have lived in a world that observes and evaluates, but hasn't been active, except in a pure volunteer state. I am not the activist I was in my youth. The reason I went to college. The reason I wanted to write, and make films. Everything I stood for ...
It is easy to grow up and become complacent about the hope of the future, because reality sets in and life is bigger than dreams. Bills have to be paid and kids have to be fed, but the reality is our heros of the past, people that made a difference so that we could have the freedoms that we have, they had families too. They had bills to pay. They had lives to live, and they sacrificed those for the state of our world. They gave their lives to change the lives we have. What are we doing?

I have stated on more than one occasion, I do not make resolutions, but this year I resolve to stand and speak for what I stand for. To be aggressive and vocal about what is in my heart.
One love
One people
Love
What stands greater than the greed and inconsequential motives of most of our world? Living in the light of who we are and sharing that with each other.
Truly.

Light up the darkness

Stand for something...please.