Super Heroes and me

I don’t remember the exact day my father hung up his super hero cape, or the first time he happily rode in the passenger seat of my car, but it happened. My invincible, macho father became a mere mortal one day, and I was okay with that. He had worn his cape for years, worn it proudly and with style. In the circle of superhero fathers, mine stood above them all.

I watched his cape fading, becoming worn, but in the fashion of super heroes he kept it at the ready. He seemed to realize before I did that a new super hero was riding into town. I’m pretty sure Dad was still wearing his cape beneath his dress shirt as he walked me down the aisle toward the new hero.

The new hero didn’t have a clue his cape was in the mail. It was scheduled to be delivered with his ‘super’ and the children who were still a promise away. It’s only the old heroes who recognize their competition, their replacements. But those old heroes are wise, they wait for the new hero to test their powers before they retire that old cape to the closet for good.

The new super hero in my life wore his cape with a style all his own. His worshipping fans thought he was bigger, faster and stronger than anybody else’s super hero. He rocked it. Super heroes do that, they shine in the eyes of their fans with a brightness all their own. Nobody can make a person feel safe like a super hero can.

I have a dear friend who grew up in London during The Blitz. She tells stories about her super hero father with stars in her eyes even today. She has written about being huddled in an Anderson shelter in the backyard with her mother and siblings, waiting. Waiting while sirens wailed and bombs exploded. Waiting for her Dad to get home. Waiting to feel safe. Bombs could rain, houses would be flattened but that little family was safe as soon as their super hero was home.

I have been blessed to have a super hero in my life, all my life. But all super heroes are not dads, and all dads are not super heroes. That said, I’m willing to bet everybody has had someone in their life who has worn a cape. A person who stood between danger and fear. A person whose presence was enough to make them have a better, sounder sleep. A person who gave them courage. A person who maybe didn’t even know they were wearing a cape but was there supering just because. Because that’s what super heroes do, they don’t wait to be asked they just super – until the next hero rides into town.