"Hero" is not about being perfect
A "Perfect" Hero Would be Hard to Learn From
Even Nelson Mandela spent years in prison (granted, not for violence or real crime, but still). And think of the singers with the amazingly beautiful voices, singing of things that are so sad. The beautiful art created by painters when they are going through difficult times. Not all beautiful things are happy, not at first. But if you get the lesson and grow from it, that is happy indeed.
Flowers from Stone
We once wrote a song/poem about one of our dear friends, who has been through some very difficult things when he was young. Understanding the past is a huge key to reconciling the apparent contradictions in someone you hold in high regard.
when love is born and takes you over
when you've seen the sweetest eyes
and the heartbreak of time
what cruelty can do to a child's mind
like those flowers that grow out of stone,
the miracles of nature
no one could have predicted or known.