No one sets out to be a hero, in the same way that no one sets out one morning determined to levitate or break a four-minute mile or swim to Molokai, or any number of improbable personal quests. A hero emerges out of ordinary life not from a desire for glory, but from circumstances so dire, he or she feels compelled to act. It is a response that is sometimes spontaneous or instinctual, sometimes considered, but it is a response that is always born out of an empathy for others, and from that deep well, leads to kindness, embodied in actions that ripple outward in ever-widening circles, touching all of us in some way, and shaping, too, our own ideas of what is always possible when we act with aloha.

With COVID-19 in our midst, we are living now in those dark times. The world feels heavy, especially so with nonstop news that changes and shifts every day.

But walking among us in this community, which has always been rooted in the arts that make our island remarkable – the art of giving and sharing, of caring and helping – are heroes of Lanai. We have only heard snippets of stories, stories of selflessness, of extraordinary acts of kindness. We hear that some have been led to such a moment because they are emergency personnel, essential workers; others have responded to a sudden need or problem. The why of any story is interesting, but it is the who and the how of a story that resonates deeply with any listener, for contained in the answers to those questions is a shining reflection of who we could be, our very best selves, and the kind of world in which we wish to live.

If you know of heroes, or of heroic deeds, during this time of the coronavirus, we want to hear from you. It could be just a couple of sentences or you could include a photo along with the story. We welcome all the ways you would like to share your stories of kindness and hope and aloha.