Comments on: About http://heroworkshop.wordpress.com Building Heroes From The Inside Out Wed, 09 Dec 2009 01:39:22 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 By: Michael http://heroworkshop.wordpress.com/about/#comment-14053 Michael Sat, 07 Nov 2009 19:12:02 +0000 /about/#comment-14053 Recently I was in contact with a gentleman who I knew while I was the ministry director of a local rescue mission. This gentleman, Les is his name, was a horrible alcoholic. He eventually dried out and became very functional in helping out this ministry. We got him an apartment and all seemed to be going well. I resigned from that ministry over a year ago after 12 years to spend more time with my wife who has MS. A couple of months ago I took a part-time job with a "government agency" who works for/with the homeless. As I mentioned before, Les recently contacted me and said he was drinking again. I went to his apartment before work and was disgusted on the condition of the place. Soiled clothing, beer bottles everywhere and so on. I called my old place of employment to see if there were some people who could help me clean the place up. I was in an emegency mode of thinking. looking at this man, with what medical background I had, he surely would be dead in a few days. He had lost count of his BP Rx and other medication he was on. He was a mess. My old employer said under the new administration, that sending people over to help would not be allowed. I knew I could not do this by myself. Long story short, one of the 'homeless clients' I had been working with asked if he could help me after he heard the story. I asked him to get permission. He got it as well did his counselor give me permission for him to help out. His counselor even gave us cleaning equipment. I was operating in a rescue mode; determined that he would be cleaned up by that night. The next day I was terminated for "using" a client for my own benefit (even though I received permission). I suppose the point of this story is that when you know the right thing has to be done, it isn't that you are not thinking clearly; just the opposite, you see the correct path regardless of the consequences Recently I was in contact with a gentleman who I knew while I was the ministry director of a local rescue mission. This gentleman, Les is his name, was a horrible alcoholic. He eventually dried out and became very functional in helping out this ministry. We got him an apartment and all seemed to be going well.
I resigned from that ministry over a year ago after 12 years to spend more time with my wife who has MS. A couple of months ago I took a part-time job with a “government agency” who works for/with the homeless.
As I mentioned before, Les recently contacted me and said he was drinking again. I went to his apartment before work and was disgusted on the condition of the place. Soiled clothing, beer bottles everywhere and so on. I called my old place of employment to see if there were some people who could help me clean the place up. I was in an emegency mode of thinking. looking at this man, with what medical background I had, he surely would be dead in a few days. He had lost count of his BP Rx and other medication he was on. He was a mess.

My old employer said under the new administration, that sending people over to help would not be allowed. I knew I could not do this by myself. Long story short, one of the ‘homeless clients’ I had been working with asked if he could help me after he heard the story. I asked him to get permission. He got it as well did his counselor give me permission for him to help out. His counselor even gave us cleaning equipment. I was operating in a rescue mode; determined that he would be cleaned up by that night.

The next day I was terminated for “using” a client for my own benefit (even though I received permission). I suppose the point of this story is that when you know the right thing has to be done, it isn’t that you are not thinking clearly; just the opposite, you see the correct path regardless of the consequences

]]> By: Ben Durchslag http://heroworkshop.wordpress.com/about/#comment-14034 Ben Durchslag Sun, 25 Oct 2009 09:02:49 +0000 /about/#comment-14034 Hello, my name is Ben Durchslag, and I have been reading various posts and articles the past few days and I would like to comment on a connection that I made about the social heroes that the psychology of heroism is starting to speak of. I am a camp counselor at an INCREDIBLE summer camp called Seeds of Peace International Camp. This is a typical camp with a very interesting twist. At Seeds of Peace, youth (ages 13-18) come from conflicting regions around the world including Israel, Palestine, India, Pakistan, and Afghanistan. Like you mentioned about your YMCA camp, Matt, these kids are my heroes too. Hands down they are absolutely some of the most amazing individuals I have ever met. In the 3 and a half weeks they are at camp they eat together, sleep together, do activities together, and engage in an hour and a half of dialogue with the "other side" of their conflict. These youth are pegged as leaders in their respective communities because they need to be courageous to take this step. The simple act of coming to this camp is an extraordinary social risk they are taking because upon their return back to their home regions they are in danger of losing their friends, being ostracized from family member, and will face the inevitable view points of close ones that minimize and degrade the difficult transformation and growth they have just begun to make at camp. To say the least this a very difficult task to take on for someone, especially for a teenager who is experiencing a lot of changes as it is from puberty and what not. If you could get back to me Matt, I would be very interested in connecting with you and applying your hero workshop at camp and in other avenues in life . Keep up the good work, Ben Hello, my name is Ben Durchslag, and I have been reading various posts and articles the past few days and I would like to comment on a connection that I made about the social heroes that the psychology of heroism is starting to speak of.

I am a camp counselor at an INCREDIBLE summer camp called Seeds of Peace International Camp. This is a typical camp with a very interesting twist. At Seeds of Peace, youth (ages 13-18) come from conflicting regions around the world including Israel, Palestine, India, Pakistan, and Afghanistan. Like you mentioned about your YMCA camp, Matt, these kids are my heroes too. Hands down they are absolutely some of the most amazing individuals I have ever met. In the 3 and a half weeks they are at camp they eat together, sleep together, do activities together, and engage in an hour and a half of dialogue with the “other side” of their conflict.

These youth are pegged as leaders in their respective communities because they need to be courageous to take this step. The simple act of coming to this camp is an extraordinary social risk they are taking because upon their return back to their home regions they are in danger of losing their friends, being ostracized from family member, and will face the inevitable view points of close ones that minimize and degrade the difficult transformation and growth they have just begun to make at camp. To say the least this a very difficult task to take on for someone, especially for a teenager who is experiencing a lot of changes as it is from puberty and what not.

If you could get back to me Matt, I would be very interested in connecting with you and applying your hero workshop at camp and in other avenues in life .

Keep up the good work,
Ben

]]> By: Taking Back the Word Hero for the Heroes | Nate Ritter http://heroworkshop.wordpress.com/about/#comment-13948 Taking Back the Word Hero for the Heroes | Nate Ritter Mon, 10 Aug 2009 17:58:19 +0000 /about/#comment-13948 [...] Matt Langdon is the founder, creator, and visionary of the Hero Workshop, a fascinating project-turned-organization who’s aim is “to show young people that by doing the little things every day they can become heroes. Far from having to perform miraculous deeds, they are provided with an attainable goal.” [...] [...] Matt Langdon is the founder, creator, and visionary of the Hero Workshop, a fascinating project-turned-organization who’s aim is “to show young people that by doing the little things every day they can become heroes. Far from having to perform miraculous deeds, they are provided with an attainable goal.” [...]

]]> By: Patti http://heroworkshop.wordpress.com/about/#comment-13564 Patti Mon, 02 Feb 2009 01:37:05 +0000 /about/#comment-13564 Great site and great idea! I like to find the hero in each of my students. Thank you Matt for stopping by our class blog and commenting. The kids will be thrilled when they see it Monday. Great site and great idea! I like to find the hero in each of my students. Thank you Matt for stopping by our class blog and commenting. The kids will be thrilled when they see it Monday.

]]> By: Matt Langdon http://heroworkshop.wordpress.com/about/#comment-13514 Matt Langdon Fri, 02 Jan 2009 02:06:59 +0000 /about/#comment-13514 That is exactly what I'm saying. I'm not ranking them though. The idea of social risk is not a case of "not being invited to a cocktail party" though. There are plenty of ways to feel social damage. Becoming the victim of hate crimes, ostracizing, or even hate mail/death threats. Doing the right thing WITH risk is what makes a hero. That is exactly what I’m saying. I’m not ranking them though.

The idea of social risk is not a case of “not being invited to a cocktail party” though. There are plenty of ways to feel social damage. Becoming the victim of hate crimes, ostracizing, or even hate mail/death threats.

Doing the right thing WITH risk is what makes a hero.

]]> By: mssc54 http://heroworkshop.wordpress.com/about/#comment-13513 mssc54 Fri, 02 Jan 2009 00:41:11 +0000 /about/#comment-13513 I read the pdf file you linked in this article and found this interesting: "whether the sacrifices are measured as physical peril or social sacrifice." Are you saying that the person who risks physical peril and the person who risks being ostricised from his friends and not being invited to social events are both heroes? I recognise that I have a bit of biased opinion but how is the person risking his life and the person risking not being invited to a cocktail party one in the same? Is everyone who does "the right thing" a hero? It seems (to me) that the term "hero" is being spread a bit thin. But once again, I recognise my views are very personal based on recent events in our family. I read the pdf file you linked in this article and found this interesting:

“whether the sacrifices are
measured as physical peril or social sacrifice.”

Are you saying that the person who risks physical peril and the person who risks being ostricised from his friends and not being invited to social events are both heroes?

I recognise that I have a bit of biased opinion but how is the person risking his life and the person risking not being invited to a cocktail party one in the same?

Is everyone who does “the right thing” a hero? It seems (to me) that the term “hero” is being spread a bit thin.

But once again, I recognise my views are very personal based on recent events in our family.

]]> By: durk brown http://heroworkshop.wordpress.com/about/#comment-13383 durk brown Tue, 04 Nov 2008 22:10:25 +0000 /about/#comment-13383 I was looking for an old friend by the same name-it isn't you but I see you worked at a YMCA camp in Michigan- I am from Traverse City and I am guessing that camp was Hayo-Went-Ha- I worked their summer of 89. cheers I was looking for an old friend by the same name-it isn’t you but I see you worked at a YMCA camp in Michigan- I am from Traverse City and I am guessing that camp was Hayo-Went-Ha- I worked their summer of 89.

cheers

]]> By: joylandusa http://heroworkshop.wordpress.com/about/#comment-13153 joylandusa Thu, 05 Jun 2008 00:11:20 +0000 /about/#comment-13153 Exactly. It is the people who willingly accept a risk to do something good. Thanks for the feedback. Exactly. It is the people who willingly accept a risk to do something good. Thanks for the feedback.

]]> By: writerchick http://heroworkshop.wordpress.com/about/#comment-29 writerchick Thu, 26 Oct 2006 00:22:13 +0000 /about/#comment-29 I have this book and did an online workshop of sorts with this as a guide. I enjoyed the concept very much - but found the workshop a bit too cumbersome. I love your idea for the blog though. Heroes - what a great topic. Have you seen the new show? I am quickly becoming a fan of it. WC I have this book and did an online workshop of sorts with this as a guide. I enjoyed the concept very much – but found the workshop a bit too cumbersome.

I love your idea for the blog though. Heroes – what a great topic. Have you seen the new show? I am quickly becoming a fan of it.

WC

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