Where the True Heroes Never Grow Old

Neverland: Where The True Heroes Never Grow Old

I have met many astounding people in my adolescent years, and heard of so many more. I have read about those with great achievements, and seen those who will someday achieve great things. They are heroes, unknowing, or unwitting, they touch the lives of others in countless ways. Through their achievements, their actions, or the the life they lead, they are inspiring. A hero they are, to the eyes of onlookers, able to astound us simply by their existence.
In my experiences with people, I have found a hero can be anyone. A famous someone, historical figure, a friend, a close relative, or an acquaintance. No written law exists stating the qualifications of a hero. Some may be a hero for their achievements, a most obvious reason. For me, while some of my heroes did achieve wonders, my reasoning may be harder to identify. I chose my heroes because yes, they have done astounding things, but more so how they are capable to resist the temptation of the norm. All of the beings in which I have chosen as my heroes stand out. They lead their lives in a superior way, without realization. They are unique, and because of this, inspire me, as well as others. Heroes should be classified in the things do, or the way they are, and how they unknowingly create a want in us to be looked upon by others in the same way.
I know for most, choosing what you want to do with the rest of your life at such an early age as mine would seem too rushed. But I, despite the million options this world houses, have my eyes set on one thing: writing. I love to write. Though it’s complicated, I adore the English language and the countless ways words can be placed to form a sentence, then a paragraph, and eventually a story. I would enjoy nothing more than to erase the defined line between an imagination and reality. To create for people a state of being where the pressures of society are thrown away, and we can enjoy all the simple things in life we take for granted. To open a world for young children to play with their wild imagination, and for the adults to return to the one they once visited. I have been inspired to do this by my hero J.M Barrie. He has shown me that there is a world for me in which I can create the unimaginable and bring it to life, for an imagination can never grow old. I know no man, nor woman who has better shown that there really can be a, “Neverland,” than the great J.M Barrie, creator of the famous children’s story, Peter Pan.
James Matthew Barrie was born on May 8, 1860 in Kirriemuir, Angus to David Barrie and Margaret Ogilvry. Barrie was the second youngest of ten kids, and fortunate for him, was educated at Dumfries Academy and later at Edinburgh University. Barrie’s first step to becoming the famous writer he is, was his job as a journalist at Nottingham. Quickly progressing, Barrie moved to London to become a novelist. His father being a weaver, Barrie was forced to disguise himself as, “Thrums,” to pursue his writing dream. As Thrums, Barrie wrote his first pieces, Auld Licht Idylls (1888), A Window in Thrums (1889), The Little Minister (1891), Sentimental Tommy (1896), and Tommy and Gizel (1902.) The Tommy books contained themes that are related to those we would see in his later works, such as Peter Pan.
Barrie’s first work introducing Peter Pan was called, Little White Bird (1901). Peter Pan evolved from a story Barrie would tell the Llewelyn-Davies boys, George, Peter, Nicholas, Michael and Jack whom he met in a park where he frequently walked his dog, Porthos. (In later years, after the death of the boys’ mother Sylvia, Barrie would be a father figure and partial guardian to the five children.) The story of Peter Pan, the most wonderful children’s story I have ever known, has shown a whole new world of possibilities to people young and old, especially myself. Those who have read the story of Peter Pan, Wendy and Neverland, or have seen the movies based on Barrie’s work, has witnessed a world unlike any other. A world in which the mind of a child is the most vital thing in a any one person’s existence. When Barrie created Neverland, he was allowing the inner child of those who have grown, to realize that in fact they have not grown on the interior, but only in a physical sense. I strongly feel that by creating a place for people to escape to, even if only in their imagination, Barrie told, through his work, that if you believe in the unthinkable, it can and will come true for you.
Barrie died on June 19, 1937, nearly twenty years after his piece, Mary Rose (1920). Barrie was buried next to his mother, father and brother, who died at age fourteen in a skating accident. Despite his death, his stories lived on for years, and in fact are still popular today. Barrie’s stories are as alive as ever now, and still widening the imagination of every being blessed enough to get their hands on his work.
As I have mentioned, Barrie’s work is far from dead. It still continues to touch me, though I have seen the movie Peter Pan hundreds of times. Though most would say that Peter Pan is the most inspiring character in the story, I believe otherwise. The young Wendy Darling, sister to Michael and John, is my fantasy heroine for the wisdom she posses beyond her years, her lack of fear, and more importantly, the ways in which she believes in things others would dub impossible.
Wendy is introduced to Peter Pan when she catches him coming in through her window, in attempt to find his shadow. Pan was a frequent visitor, for he loved to listen to the stories Wendy would tell her brothers before bed. When Wendy becomes acuainted with Peter, he suggests that she should come back to Neverland with him, a wonderful place where children never grow up. Peter teaches Wendy and her brothers how to fly, and introduces them to Tink, his fairy. In the few short moments Wendy knows Peter, she finds she has this want to be with him. She follows Peter to Neverland and is welcomed by things she wouldn’t have thought of in her wildest dreams. There were pirates, fairies, and mermaids, and it didn’t take her but a mere second to believe all these were very real.
There is most likley question as to why I would chose Wendy, a fictional character as an inspiring heroine. First and foremost I envy Wendy. She has this astounding capability to greet the unthinkable with open arms and a lack of doubt. When being taught how to fly, the thought never crosses her mind that she can’t, she just does it. I think there is a want deep in all of us to be able to accomplish the same. There are times in my life that I would like to possess the self-confidence Wendy shows, and to believe, for once, that there is no such thing as, “can’t.” If you really study her, really concentrate on the way she presents herself, you would find that she has wisdom beyond her years. She knows her place in the world, and understands the fact that in reality, she must grow up. Wendy shows, though we all long for the never ending childhood, and a fantasy world, it will never compare to the real life and all the experiences you will face as you grow older. I would love to visit a place like Neverland someday, or better yet create one, and see all the wonders there, but I know it is a place I can only visit in my imagination. I credit Wendy for being fearless to face the life that lie ahead instead of pacing back and forth in her childhood. Growing up is like an impatient tugging at our sleeve, we don’t have to answer it right away, but in time we must. Wendy is my hero for the ways she lives her life without fear, but instead hope for the future, yet always keeping her imagination, her Neverland, near enough to revisit.
Another writer in whom I look to for inspiration is one of the world’s famous poets and peacemakers, Matthew Joseph Thaddeus Stepanek, otherwise known as, “Mattie”. Mattie was born on July 17, 1990 with a rare form of MD known as Dysautomic mitochondria disorder. At very young ages, Mattie lost his two brothers and sister from the same disease. His mother Jeni was diagnosed with the adult form of this disorder. This disease effects the automic systems such as breathing, heart rate, body temperature, oxygenation and digestion. In his short life, Mattie accomplished more than any person whom I’ve ever known.
At age three, Mattie began writing poetry, an art I enjoy in my liesure time. He would write from personal experiences, whether joyus or tragic. Mattie wrote many inspirational poems, putting his collections into books. When Mattie was only five, he was wearing a sweater with a music maker built inside. Ecstatic, Mattie explained, “Mommy listen, that’s my heartsong!” And it was then that the word, “heartsong,” was born. The books Mattie wrote were given this title. Heartsongs, Journey Through Heartsongs, Celebrating Heartsongs, and Hope Through Heartsongs, were of the books that Mattie wrote, three of them being on the NY Times Best Sellers list. In these collections of poems, Mattie spread his faith, hopes of peace and love to people all over the world. Mattie’s mother recently edited his last collection, Reflections of a Peacemaker, which also ended up on the NY Times Best Sellers List.
In his life, Mattie experienced wonders. He witnessed his books being on the best sellers lists, and won awards such as the Melinda A. Lawrence International Book Award in ‘99 for, “most inspirational work.” But I do wish I could show Mattie, in a personal way, how much he’s effected people, especially myself. In such a short life, Mattie inspired millions of people, just by speaking the truth. What’s more is that Mattie didn’t want this for himself; the love and peace and faith, for he already had it. Mattie wanted this for the world, and through his poems, was able to express that. When asked his one wish, Mattie said, “If I could offer each person a wish for being, it would be a spirit of understanding and faith.” For someone to be that unselfish makes me think about all I take for granted in my life. And I thank Mattie for that realization, so I can find understanding and faith.
Mattie died on a Tuesday, June 22, 2004 at Children’s National Medical Center. He was only thirteen years old. Though some would say he was robbed of a whole lifetime, I say differently. Mattie deeply effected so many people, especially those with the same disorder. Though his life was short, I believe it was a complete one. There was nothing else he asked for then to give people faith, and that he did. Mattie’s funeral was on June 28, 2004 at St. Catherine Labour Catholic Church in Wheaton, Maryland, and nearly 1,350 people attended including Billy Gillman, Oprah and Jimmy Carter. Carter read Mattie’s eulogy which said, “We have known kings and queens, and we have known presidents and prime ministers, but the most extraordinary person whom I have ever known in my life is Mattie Stepanek.” Mattie wanted to be remembered as, “a poet, peacemaker and philosopher.” Mattie is my hero, and he will be remembered that way.
My little brother Billy, or, “Willis,” as I call him, is fourteen years old, and is a freshman at Marcellus High School. He hasn’t written any children’s stories, and he can’t write a poem to save his life. He has never learned how to fly, nor has he visited Neverland. He has yet to spread faith, hope and understanding to people worldwide, and he has certianly never met Jimmy Carter. Yet there is one thing that Willis can be recognized for, and that is the way he teaches me, his older, supposivley more mature sister, to simply be. Being littler and younger than I, it would only make sense that I be the one showing him the way, but in truth, it’s the other way around. I have never in my life met anyone who has a greater impact on me. And what amazes me the most, is that he has no idea. We fight a lot, Willis and I, and to be honest, I am not always that nice to him. Yet he is so strong willed, I can most definitley rely on him to be my guide. The way in which Willis leads his life is just so, great. He looks at life in the ways I wish I knew how, and he is certainly teaching me. To Willis, life is just a game, Shutes and Ladders for example. A cheat he is not, he plays fair and striaght, facing whatever “shute,” may come his way. Rung by rung up the ladders he climbs, not too fast- for the end of the ladder just seems so close. And when he reaches a shute, he soars down it, taking in the experience and buliding up the momentum he needs to climb the next ladder. With luck, the game will be over shortly, but to my little brother, the longer the game, the more shutes he slides down and the more ladders he climbs, the more enjoyable. As for me, I always get frustrated with the game, and give up after I’ve hit every shute on the board. I envy the way my brother plays his game, his life, taking his sweet time, and taking it all in, the good, the bad and the ugly.
What amazes me most is the way he looks up to me. I deeply admire him for the patience he has with me, allowing me to make my mistakes, and giving me time to clean up before he can continue following me. He makes me feel so big, so important. If you have ever had someone look up to you like that, study your every move so closley to be sure they can retrace your steps, you would know there is no better confidence booster in the world. I have had my share of mistakes, screamed and kicked and been beyond angry with him, yet he gives me time. I think I take it for granted at times, knowing he will, no matter what, always be there. But latley, I’ve had this realization of how much I need him. I need him to show me that to be great, is to be confined yet strong. He hasn’t accomplished much when it comes to people knowing his name, but to me, my little brother is the most famous hero I will ever know, and for that, I owe him my deepest gratitude.
We all possess this want, this ache to be someone great, to inspire others and to be looked upon as a superior being. I have learned, from those who have inpired me, that it’s simply overrated. The nagging feeling that I should accomplish something grand in my life for it to be worth while has passed, for I feel now that I can be great just by being. My heroes had no set plan or written instruction telling them to inspire so many, it’s just the way in which they were. The simple knowledge of their existence is what inspires me to just be, and in hopes spread that to others.
When I look at my life, I see no boundaries, no instructions telling me where to go or how to be. I feel inspired by my heroes to be who I am, for there are no limits in being great. I can write that story, create my own dream world and share it with millions. I can give others a sense of hope and understanding simply by living my life. I most certainly can fly and I do, with all my heart believe in fairies. And I can, most importantly, be a role model, and my own kind of hero to others. I will, becuase J.M Barrie, Wendy, Mattie and Willis showed me there are no boundries, go to Neverland, for in Neverland, the true heroes never grow old.