When we read stories of heroes, we identify with them. We take

“When we read stories of heroes, we identify with them. We take the journey with them. We see how the obstacles almost overcome them. We see how they grow as human beings or gain qualities or show great qualities of strength and courage and with them, we grow in some small way.” Thus spoke Sam Raimi, a modern storyteller who understands the oldest secret of humankind — that within every tale of heroes lies the reflection of the soul itself. The ancients gathered around fires to listen to the sagas of gods and warriors, not merely to be entertained, but to remember who they were meant to be. The storyteller, like a priest of memory, gives form to the invisible longing within us: the desire to rise, to suffer, to fall, and to rise again.

When Raimi speaks of reading stories of heroes, he speaks of a sacred act. For to encounter a hero in story is to encounter the possibility of heroism within ourselves. We walk beside them through deserts of despair and mountains of trial, feeling their weariness as our own. When they falter, we tremble; when they triumph, our spirits awaken. The journey of the hero is the map of the human heart — a mirror in which we see both our frailty and our greatness. The stories we cherish are not about gods alone, but about the divine potential within the human spirit.

In every age, the world births its heroes — some clad in armor, others clothed in humility. Consider Odysseus, who wandered the seas for ten long years, facing storms, monsters, and temptation. His trials were not only of body, but of soul. Each struggle stripped away illusion until only wisdom remained. And when at last he returned home, it was not the same man who had left Ithaca, but one who had wrestled with himself and won. As we read his tale, we too are changed — for his endurance teaches us to persist, his cunning teaches us to think, and his love for home reminds us what truly matters. Through him, we grow in some small way.

Yet not all heroes wield swords. Some bear burdens of the spirit. Rosa Parks, with a single act of quiet defiance, became such a hero. She did not fight with steel but with dignity. Her courage was born not of rage but of righteousness. When she refused to surrender her seat, she stood for millions who could not. Her story still breathes life into the weary hearts of those who long for justice. To read of her strength is to feel a spark within ourselves — the whisper that we too are capable of standing firm when the world commands us to bow.

This is what Raimi means when he says that we grow with them. The soul expands in the presence of greatness. When we witness the hero endure suffering, we learn endurance. When we watch them choose truth over comfort, we are called to do the same. The ancient bards knew this well — that to tell a story of heroism is to kindle virtue in the hearts of the listeners. For the hero’s path is not merely to save others, but to awaken the slumbering bravery in all who behold it.

There is deep wisdom in this: that stories are not just entertainment but transformation. They train the soul. The heart learns through feeling, and the mind through example. The child who hears of courage grows less afraid of the dark; the adult who reads of perseverance learns not to despair. Even in our modern age of noise and haste, the old magic remains: when we encounter a hero, something ancient stirs within — the eternal reminder that we are meant to strive toward light, no matter how deep the shadows.

Therefore, children of the future, do not dismiss the stories of heroes as mere legend. Read them. Watch them. Tell them. Let them shape your spirit. Let them teach you that greatness is not born from comfort, but from struggle — not from ease, but from faith. Carry their lessons into your days: when fear rises, recall the hero who stood unshaken; when weariness comes, remember the one who refused to yield. In this way, their stories will become your own.

And so, let the words of Sam Raimi echo in your heart: “With them, we grow in some small way.” For in truth, every story of courage plants a seed within us. Feed it with reflection. Water it with action. And in time, you too shall find that you have become part of the same great story — the eternal story of humankind, ever striving, ever enduring, ever becoming heroes in your own right.