look for the hero in yourself

It's been a week for stories about inspirational heroes. The Festival of Remembrance brought to our television screens pictures of servicemen who despite suffering terrible injuries were now tackling life with even more courage and determination.
For several days TV news featured the story of Paul and Rachel Chandler who survived their 388 day ordeal as hostages of Somali pirates and are now back home and building their lives again.
Another story to catch my eye - possibly because I'm  a fan of Italian football but I hope for other reasons too - was the one about Roberto Baggio. A legendary member of the "Azzuri" and former FIFA player of the year - Roberto is the 2010 winner of the Peace Summit Award, bestowed by Nobel Peace Prize laureates in recognition of his long-term efforts for charity.
There are several threads to this story that interest me:
- The diversity of his challenges:- Fundraiser for hospitals and earthquake victims. Fighter gainst bird flu. UN goodwill ambassador campaigning against hunger. Pro-democracy movement member supporting the release of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi in Burma.
-  His conversion from Roman Catholicism to Buddhism  and its suggestion that he was drawn to change as he moved on in life.
- And thirdly, that he should change from a career in football - better known perhaps for having ex-stars who remain in the game. Sometimes clinging on to opportunity until that runs out - rather than sensing that there could be something better out there and moving on to fresh challenges.
It's easy to draw a parallel for that last supposition with the thousands of people who are at the "fulfilled stage" of everyday careers. Clinging onto opportunity. Fearful that it will run out - but unable to accept that there are better things out there. Doubting their ability to reskill for a new "ball game" or fit in with a new team. Possibly concerned that their reputation will count for little in any new role. And I'll admit to having held those fears! But like so many others I found out that whilst thinking I'd achieved success as measured in conventional ways - a better success was to come along.

• The success of doing what I really wanted to do.
• The success of making a difference in a way that actually meant something.
• The success of doing a variety of new things that I wouldn't have previously thought I could. 

I used to remember Roberto for "skying" a penalty in the World Cup Final penalty shoot out against Brazil. Now I think of him as campione del Peace Summit and Onwego hero!