December has been full of surprises, and it’s not even Christmas yet. I’ve met some extraordinary people this month, the kind of people that manage to stir something inside you, something you knew you had, but that you left aside for far too long. That motivation, inner drive to help others and to give of yourself without expecting anything in return.
The first person I met was someone at the Children’s Relief Fund in Bucharest. This NGO takes children off the streets and tries to reintegrate them back into their families and into society. The children are usually beggars, doing drugs, living in sewers and God knows what else.
Most people wouldn’t look twice at these children, never mind give them an ounce of credit that they can be normal again. Yet this man talked about what he did with such passion and love, that you couldn’t help but share his vision. He said that everyone there was part of a family. He talked about how rewarding it is to save a single child. And how he has taken a child off the streets and into his home. How you can’t save all of them, but that does not matter.
When I left there, I felt so grateful for what I had. I felt I was sharing his vision for a better world completely.
The second person I met was a girl I had met about 2 years ago. We met again by accident about a month ago after not seeing each other these two years.
This girl, who looked a bit selfish at first, didn’t strike me as the kind of modern day hero. But it seems she was.
A pedestrian was hit by a car. Nobody stopped. She jumped out of the car, held the man, tried to stop countless cars to get help. She managed to call an ambulance and she stayed there until it arrived, holding the man.
I can think of a lot of men who would not have managed to stand when seeing how badly wounded that man was. But she extended her unconditional help, getting out of her comfort zone, when it was most needed. Just because it was the right thing to do. And all she got in return was nightmares at night.
These two are only two of the great number of heroes I’ve met over time. I call them heroes because the word describes them perfectly. Nobody gives them credit. They’re not famous. And they never ask for anything, not even a ‘Thank you’.
I’m so proud that these people are Romanian and that I know them personally. And I bet you know your own heroes, too. Simple Romanians that don’t stand out. But who never hesitate to extend a warm smile when you need one, get themselves out there and even risk their lives.
I think these are the Romanians we should celebrate daily.