What is it to inspire? What qualities or characteristics are essential to inspire?
When thinking about what inspires me, I am often drawn to super heroes. Superman is one of the most famous characters.

"Look up in the sky, it's a bird, it's a plane, no it's superman!"

At the core of all super heroes are their super powers. Superman could fly, was very strong and could shoot heat beams from his eyes.

What are your superpowers? Can you see within yourself and find that thing that makes you super? How about being able to see the amazing in your neighbors, friends and family? Can you identify and appreciate the super heroes in your daily lives.

Sure we'd all like to be able to leap tall buildings in a single bound, or, my personal dream super hero power, shooting locomotives out of my hands. But appreciating the skills or talents is sometimes more subtle than witnessing Amtrak locomotives flying from my palms. And cultivating someone’s skill isn’t about a holographic presentation in an icy Fortress of Solitude.

There has to be something deeper that makes the Superman and other superheroes inspiring. When I reflect on Superman, his upstanding character, amazing looks and fantastic powers are some admirable attributes. But in reflecting on my own experiences, I believe his courage and loyalty are the qualities I find endearing and inspiring.

One of the most humbling experiences of my life was going to college. In high school I grew to be very proud of my achievements. High GPA, distinguished extra curricular activities. But I was proud in a way that was perhaps a bit too smug. And when I arrived at college, I was surrounded by people like me. People who were bright, motivated, competitive…people who were courageous and loyal.

The community embraced and encouraged the super qualities of each member. Athletes would stand and applaud classical musicians. The top students would push each other to think a little bit harder and be a little bit better.

My college environment taught me three very important lessons that helped me see the everyday superheroes around me. First, I learned that I was not always going to be the best at everything I did. In some ways, it requires courage to admit you don't know. Second, I learned how to appreciate and celebrate the abilities and skills of my peers. Prior, if I couldn’t do something, I would find myself being dismissive or uninterested. This lesson too requires courage to face the unknown and tackle points of view that may be foreign or contrary to our experiences. And the third lesson was to be passionate about the way you lead your life. Following your heart and pursuing your dreams is a sure way to inspire others to do the same.

As I reflect on these lessons, I believe they come back to pride. I think pride is one of the most dangerous of the classic seven deadly sins. Perhaps we, as a society, do not know how to admit when we don’t understand a situation. We may not have an answer. Or we may be wrong in our understanding. Maybe we have become too proud to appreciate that which is different or new? Maybe it’s pride that keeps us from understanding that which is different.

As Toastmasters and as human beings, I believe it is our job to be courageous and loyal. We should take our proud history, experiences and traditions as sources wisdom to help drive new and deeper understandings of our world. Through Toastmasters, we share different points of view, stories of world travel, personal histories, stories of love, loss, grief and joy. It takes courage to stand in front of a group of people and tell these sometimes emotional stories. If Toastmasters was about me delivering and evaluating my own speeches alone in a room, the club wouldn’t work. Through the various interactions, we celebrate each other and our super qualities but we also inspire each other to reach for our individual goals.

What is it to inspire? What qualities or characteristics are essential to inspire? I cannot claim to have the ultimate answer to these questions. But I believe some core truths about inspiration can be derived from the endearing virtues of Superman, his courage and loyalty. Each day is an opportunity to show the world what we are capable of. How courageous we can be and how loyal we are to our beliefs and dreams. And each day offers an opportunity to push back our pride a little bit and bear witness to the courage and loyalty in everyone who shares our world. Look to your left and right, it's a friend, it's a neighbor, no these are everyday superheroes.