Being Batman

As of 2020, over 80 years ago this Batman started his adventures. Today we look at how we can impact the lives of those around us as well.

Anyone that knows me for more than five minutes knows that I love Batman.  As a child, I’ve spent more time on the streets of Gotham City than you could imagine. From the Penguin’s flying umbrella to Commissioner Gordon’s office, I know it all very well.  

What I like most about it, at it’s core is this, anyone can be Batman.  Being Batman isn’t about super powers, or the cool gadgets, and yes they’re cool.  It’s about being there for someone who is in need, a person who’s scared of things beyond their control.

In this world today, fear lies at every corner. Only it doesn’t wear top hats, or have purple hair, but it does speak in riddles.  How can I make the mortgage? What do I do about my illness?  Does anyone care about me?

Today, we don’t have to don cape and cowl to be a hero.  We just need to look for the signal that help is needed. A kind word at the right time is a rescue for the person who receives it.  The trouble is, we can get so involved fighting our own Jokers, that we miss the battle in the next cubicle.  

It doesn’t have to be this way. Just like Gotham’s Guardian, we can have a contingency plan in place to realize when someone else is hurting.  It’s as simple as these three steps. 

First, ask everyday, about the other’s welfare, in a non surface way.  Don’t just ask if they’re okay, ask how their evening was. If there comfortable sharing, this opens the door for them to do so.

Second, listen with interest.  Take mental notes, care about what they’re saying.  Care about the people around you, we listen to those we love.  You also learn how to respond to loved one’s needs.

Third, have a plan on how to improve their day. If one friend I know is down, asking  about his hobbies will lift his spirits.  Another only needs a small piece of chocolate to refresh her smile. If we are to make a difference, we must make an investment in others.

Being Batman is about rescuing others from explosions, but it’s the daily ones that real people we care about go through. If we can, in some way, lighten their load, then we have made a impact. We aren’t heroes, but guardians who greet every morning with a promise to improve the lives of those around them. In other words, suit up, have a plan, and be someone’s Batman today!