Fried Eggs and Heroism
How I Practice Hero Work at Home
This morning, just before dawn, I transformed into a super hero. It was awesome. I did it in my underwear. I drew up the plans in my head the night before, and deftly set them in motion in the silence of the pre-dawn morning. It’s possible that before the day even began, I saved it.
I prefer an adventure over the mundane. I want to tell my story from the hero’s point of view. But how? I lack super strength. I’m of average intelligence, and at the time of writing this, my ninjutsu instructor has yet to appear to train me in the way of the Jackie Chan. But I can make breakfast.
For my wife,breakfast is a chore. We have three kids under six years old, and after managing their morning routine there’s just no energy to make a healthy breakfast for oneself. Enter the hero.
I enjoy cooking. And I get a little animated about the importance of eating a healthy, low-sugar, high protein meal at the start of the day. So this is something that I can do. Fried eggs done right – not overcooked, with homemade pesto painted on a white plate, fresh tomato, and a squeeze of lime – it’s the stuff of legends.
My wife does a nice job of buttering me up with lots of “Wow, this looks amazing!,” and other ego-boosting exclamations. She does her part too. When she sees the plate and inhales at its brilliance, I feel good. I feel the dopamine bursts flashing in my veins. I feel like I’ve done something heroic.
In The Hobbit, there’s a beautiful moment when Gandalf says, “I find it is the small, everyday deeds of ordinary folk that keep the darkness at bay – small acts of kindess and love.” We would all do well to keep this in mind when we feel the boredom of everyday life creeping into our attitude and outlook.
I’m probably not going to come across a magic ring that could destroy earth. And if I did, I might not even volunteer to march it to the heart of Mordor battling Orcs, naughty wizards, and my own selfishness along the way. I’m not rich, or powerful, or remarkable in any way that society admires.But I can make eggs for my family in the morning.To them, I’ve saved the day.
