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| My Supermarket Superhero |
| Cyndi Mitchell | 2/9/10 |
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| Back to the News Summaries |
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Some days when I feel the need to be rescued, I realize the only way I can be rescued, is to rescue myself.
The supermarket Superman can't do it, he's too busy making a living, to pay for fixing up his car by stocking the refrigerators and the shelves and sometimes “rescuing” cashiers up front.
He's working hard trying to fit into the Superman tattoo on his chest, his belt buckle and his Superman decals on his car — he's too busy trying to save himself.
“I can't stand to fly, I'm not that naïve. I'm just out to find the better part of me...” *
However, it is reassuring to know he's there — in disguise, as usual, but nonetheless, he's really there. What other super hero do we know we have? We know we have ourselves, or do we?
Most of us do not know we are our own super heroes, so we look outside of ourselves. Even Superman is looking for himself, to save himself, not realizing he truly is his own hero!
 I am fascinated by Superman, partly because of the story behind his creation. But I also love Wonder Woman, Xena Warrior Princess, Dark Angel, Cat Woman, etc. However, they do not seem to play as prominent a role in our history as Superman. Even being the feminist I am, I love the Superman myth and I've heard it said, that myth is created from something real. And the idea goes much deeper, too so perhaps this is what fascinates me, as well.
I've written about this before, but now that I know we have Superman in our midst, I am intrigued. I say “Hi” to him every time I see him — and even call him Clark, even though he has another name, which I cannot reveal, of course. I vowed never to reveal his true identity the day I discovered him. He looks like a regular guy, albeit with a good build, as one would expect from a super hero, and dresses in jeans and the supermarket attire of a blue polo shirt.
His tennis shoes have seen better days, but it's just his disguise.
He even smokes, which one would not expect from someone of his ilk, but, then, maybe that's part of his disguise, as well. Or he's just still working on fitting into his tattoo. One would also expect super-heroes to be perfect, but, really, aren't they just human? Or, at least, impersonating one?
“I'm only a man in a funny red sheet, looking for special things inside of me...” *
He appears shy or somewhat reserved, probably so as not to attract attention, but on the rare occasion he smiles; it's nice to see.
So, I digressed ... but I cannot expect anyone else to rescue me. I've read that alcoholics, just by reaching for that drink, are attempting to rescue themselves. Of course, they are reaching in the incorrect direction, but in certain ways we are all trying to rescue ourselves, unfortunately, sometimes in all the wrong places.
The correct places are within, which is where all our strength and sustenance comes from — which is where God comes from, which is where all our Supermen and Superwomen come from. If we all realized this and believed in ourselves, perhaps we'd all have Superman tattoos, because that is what we truly are.
And perhaps this is what the supermarket Superman is here for — to remind me and everyone else that we are our own heroes. That we can affect change within ourselves and in turn 'without' ourselves. That we can change the world one little heroic act at a time.
And just maybe, our very own supermarket Superman can also find his own hero within.
“I may be disturbed, but won't you concede, even heroes have a right to dream... and it's not easy to be me...” *
*(from the song, “Superman”--Five for Fighting)
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