Knights of Lisa's round table

I have a very good friend (Matt-see the post of how Chuck and I met!) who writes a blog called The Hero Workshop. Chuck and I were discussing over the weekend, and again tonight over an impromptu dinner about who our heroes are and also who we would choose to sit at our "round table". This has proven incredibly hard for me.

I have read good portions of Matt's blog and understand why the people have been chosen as heroes as well as the characteristics of a hero. However, I'm having a hard time seeing a lot of them as heroes for myself.

For example, Superman. He's fictional. I've never in a million years sat down when I've had a difficult problem and thought "now how would Superman handle a situation such as this?" So, it really, to me, boils down to people that I could speak to in reality. I guess that's because I suck at imagination.

I've been asked three times now in my life who my hero was and why. The first two times were both in beauty pageants. Yes, it's true. I'm a beauty pageant queen. I won my title in 1997. That was before I was a fat and frumpy momma.

The first time I said Hilary Rodham Clinton. *ducks head to avoid being hit by everyone!* Come on, I was young and incredibly stupid. And needless to say I always have found strong women an inspiration in my life.

The second time I said my Aunt Kay. Again, because she's a strong woman. My reasoning for this? She became the first woman mayor of our town, went on to be a state representative for 8 years and did it all without a MAN. That was a huge deal for me (and in some ways still is). To be able to be a strong woman and stand on my own two feet and fight a good fight and do what I feel is right, without having to have a man support me.

Now, I'm older and my priorities have changed. A lot. My life has changed a lot. So when Chuck asked me who my heroes are I could only come up with one. My mom. When I think of a hero I think of someone who puts others before themselves. Who accomplish things against all odds. Who do a lot with little or nothing at all. Who in the face of adversity can inspire others to rise above their class or level and become something better. I feel that my mom has done all of those things and much more. I look to her at least once a day for inspiration in how I raise my own children. Now, that's not to say I talk to her everyday. We work opposite shifts so that's not really feasible. But, I do compare myself and my actions to those I remember as a child and try to do things like she did. Sometimes this causes me great guilt and problems, because I fall so short. But it's something to inspire to.

But if you're asking me who I look to for advice? That's different to me than heroes. Whom I look to for advice I do so because they are important in my life...and I value their opinion. And it definitely varies depending on what the subject is.

I look to my husband for all kinds of information. Especially politics and finances.
Matt (for general knowledge. He knows a little about everything.)
Shannon (for assistance with Chuck!)
Mom (for child-rearing and financial adaptability)
Kathleen (she's my spiritual advisor)
Allison (for assistance with mental disorders)

That's about it. Honestly, I don't look to the popular media for heroes or role models. I guess I feel I have enough within my small circle of very diverse friends that I don't look any furthur.