A hero consists of many admirable human qualities. The three I'll be specifically looking at as a requirement are honor, compassion, and generosity.

As I grew up, it was apparent to me in many ways how hero worthy my grandfather is, based on experiences and his own character.

To be selfless, means being able to put others above yourself. A true hero must be able to set aside all personal quandaries to focus on the matter at hand. Being able to think about a total stranger and put their needs above your own takes character. Human's in general have a natural selfishness to them, it isn't a bad thing. It's important to take care of yourself and watch out for you, though, taking it a step further and focusing on another person other than yourself, gives you a quality that is imperative in the means of being a hero.

An example of one of the many selfless acts my Grandpa has displayed would be my recent experience needing transportation. I had some car troubles that I wasn't able to get taken care of. My Grandfather, ever so concerned and focused on taking care of his family, sold his truck in order to obtain a dependable car for myself to use.

Honorable people are often depicted as heroes, without this trait they lose a piece of the luster associated with being a hero. Generally, an honorable man is considered a "good" man, and everyone knows the good guys are the heroes.

All through my childhood I watched my Grandpa earn the respect of others by demonstrating his clear actions and firm stance on his beliefs. My Grandma was a young, single mother during the times where that was scandalous and women were fired from their jobs if such situations occurred. My Grandpa courted my Grandma regardless of other's disapproval. He not only married her, he legally adopted my father and treated him as his own. It might be a lot more common now, but knowing the social era that their story took place in, and the reactions of those involved in the story, he displayed how honorable of a person he was by being open to loving and raising a child he had no physical ties to.

A true hero has compassion to their fellow human beings. Being compassionate is necessary to perform the duties of a hero.

There are many times my Grandpa has displayed his compassion for others. One time that especially stood out for me was his willingness to help a complete stranger, to show kindness and trust when it wasn't necessary.

Many years ago my Grandfather worked graveyard shift at a local plant that produced rocket parts for NASA. He was on his way to work when he passed a man walking down the road in freezing weather. My Grandpa stopped and had the man get in the truck to warm himself. When asked where the man was going, he explained that he was a transient and had no where to go. My Grandpa showed kindness to this man by having a simple conversation all the way to his work, and offered to let him sleep in his truck so long as he promised not to leave with anything that didn't belong for him. When my Grandpa got off work the next morning, he found his truck vacant with nothing missing but a receipt pinned on the windshield with a simple "thank you" note.

Generosity is often a sought after trait. There are many casual instances where one person performs a generous act that might seem like nothing to them, but to the person receiving that generosity, they are a hero.

My Grandfather has always been a generous man. He has never thought twice on giving whatever need be to another person, whether it's money, items, or time. All of my family members have been the recipient of my Grandfather's generosity one way or another. He sold his house at owed value to my parent's when I was young so we could live in one place growing up instead of going from rental to rental. It wouldn't have been possible for my parent's to own a house otherwise.

Though my Grandfather has many admirable qualities that make him a hero in my eyes, he does have his faults. He is known to be impatient and rash. A temper goes along with those and if you are unlucky enough to witness him becoming frustrated with something, prepare for a massive blow out of profanities and broken items.

It is easy to look passed imperfections for those you love and have the reassured knowledge that someone has your back. It is comforting to know that there are people out there looking after you, who love you with every fiber of their being and want what's best. My Grandfather will always be a hero in my eyes