The Quiet Heroism of Inner Struggles and Daily Life

Ordinary people lives of quiet desperation.

Henry David Thoreau

Heroes
by Enos Franklin Hayward

The bravest heroes in the world, are those who fight alone;
Heroically, they win or lose, nor let their names be known;
They crave not the wreath of laurel, nor give thought to fame,
Though they fight a losing battle, they are heroes just the same;
Their hearts may break with sorrow, and their eyes be dim with tears,
They weep alone in silence, so that no one overhears;
The only help they ever call, is from their God above,—
Their battles are within their hearts, between despair and love;
Sometimes they win, sometimes they lose, the World may never know,
For should they win, you'd never hear a bugler's trumpet blow;
And if they lose, they only smile in listless sort of way,
And never tell the "World" about their silent bitter fray.

The moment I read this poem, I knew it was about me and all of us. Wars and violence are raging everywhere around the world. But ordinary people fight a different type of war. It is the war of daily life, the war of inner conflicts, and the war of life within the family and of raising children.

It reminded me of Thoreau’s famous quote: "The mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation." The quote comes from Henry David Thoreau's 1854 book Walden.

The poem "Heroes" by Enos Franklin Hayward speaks about the part of heroism that is not taught. These are the heroes who confront their personal demons in silence. The poet talks about people who fight alone, not on a physical battlefield but in the heart. We all experience emotions like despair, sorrow, and even love in a battle with ourselves. These are battles we fight inside our heads, and they are as tough as any physical battle. Still, they are hidden from view and away from praise or recognition by others.

Hayward has stressed that these unsung heroes never seek fame or recognition. They fight, often losing, yet they stay heroic with persistence and courage. The fact that their names may never come out does not diminish the importance of their battles or the bravery required to face them.

The poem presents this fight as highly personal and spiritual, a battle between despair and love. This portrayal of the heroes' struggle resonates with the reader and the poet, including me.

To their credit, these silent heroes' efforts, our efforts, go mostly unnoticed, win or lose. When they win, there is no public rejoicing. And when they lose, their acceptance of defeat is quiet and painful.

Hayward invites us to think about the quiet strength that ordinary people bring into their daily lives. They show true heroism in quiet perseverance by relying only on their inner strength and belief in themselves.

I want to encourage comments about this and even a chat.