Ever since the new Superman movie dropped last week, I’ve been full-on fanboying all weekend. Cape out, nerd mode fully activated.
The minute that theme tune kicked in? Full-on goose bumps.
And when Krypto showed up? Talk about cuteness overload!
My First Real Hero
When I was a kid, Superman was it for me.; he was my first real hero. The original with Christopher Reeve came out just after my sixth birthday. And as a kid living through abuse? I think, deep down, I just wanted to believe someone like that could exist. He wasn’t just strong; he was kind. Unshakable. Good. And in a world where I felt invisible and helpless, that idea meant everything.
I think in hindsight, I just needed to feel there was someone out there who could see everything and had the power to stop the bad stuff and actually wanted to. Who chose to protect instead of harm. To help instead of hurt. That very hope got me through more than anyone knew.
When the Myth Starts to Crack
As I got older, I started to see the holes in the myth; and you quickly learn that real life doesn’t just hand out capes or happy endings. But Superman stuck with me anyway. Maybe it’s that idea that power doesn’t have to mess you up. That strength can be soft. Someone who can carry the weight of the world, who still smiles, and keeps choosing to do good, every single time.
Even now, as a grown man carrying around a past I didn’t ask for, that hope’s still in me. Beat to shit, but it’s there. Watching the new movie hit me harder than I expected. It reminded me that after all the crap, all the pain, the healing, the setbacks, I still want to believe that there is good in the world.
Strength Doesn’t Have to Shout
That little bit of hope, it’s not about pretending everything’s fine or acting like the pain just disappears. It’s about showing up for myself, every damn day, even when the past tries to drag me back under. Strength doesn’t always look like some big, loud thing. Sometimes it’s just steady. Quiet. Something only I can feel.
Superman chasing truth all the time, he made me realize it’s not just about what you can do, but what you choose to do. And for me? Healing’s become my power. Man, it sure is messy, but it’s my mess.
More Than Just a Movie
It may just be a movie to most people. But for me? It’s not about looking back or chasing some childhood memory. It’s more like… a reminder. That even when the world feels broken, or I do, I can still keep going. Still find ways to protect the parts of me that matter. Keep choosing kindness, even when it’s the last thing I feel like doing. And yes, still try to believe in good, even when it feels damn near impossible.
Maybe that’s what being a hero looks like when you’re grown. Not flying or saving the planet. Just trying your best not to become the worst thing that ever happened to you.
If you’ve ever had a hero or a story that helped you get through tough times, I’d love to hear about it. Who or what kept you going when things got hard? How do you find your kind of strength now?
Healing’s not something we have to do alone. Nor should we. Sometimes just talking about what keeps us going reminds us we’re all in this together.
Here’s to those of us out there still believing in something, doing our own version of healing, and still showing up, cape or no cape.
Photo by Wil Stewart on Unsplash