A Hero Essay: Princess Diana Is A Hero

Maya Angelou once remarked, “I think that a hero is any person really intent on making this a better place for all people.” Depending on who the inquiry is posed to though, diverse answers may result from the question of, “what is a hero?” I believe that a hero is someone who inspires through their phenomenal precedents, benevolent behaviors, and possesses qualities not ordinarily seen in our culture. Angelou aspired to convey the idea that kindness and heroism are not mutually exclusive, but instead fit together effectively to produce the heroes held in high regard in our society. No matter what one might admire about a certain hero-- bravery, patience, or strength-- kindness lacks not in these traits, but rather encompasses them. For why

Even twenty years after her death, the world continues to remember the princess who perpetually remembered them. Princess Diana lived as one of the most influential figures of the 20th Century. She devoted her life in the spotlight to bring recognition to causes that she felt others should care about, such as AIDS, homelessness, leprosy, and landmine removal. Diana believed that love and kindness served as the remedy for any sort of suffering. She once stated in an interview with BBC journalist, Martin Bashir, “I think the biggest disease this world suffers from in this day and age is the disease of people feeling unloved. I know that I can give love for a minute, for half an hour, for a day, for a month—I’m very happy to do that and I want to do that” (Roisin Kelly). While the matter remains certain that people were initially starstruck having a princess in their midst, it is undoubtedly Diana’s kindness that attracted and continued to attract beings to her presence. She held the hands of those deemed unsafe to touch and broke down stigmas in the process. Diana became a hero for those who had no one to speak up for them, or the trials they endured, through simple acts of kindness, such as a warm smile or a gentle handshake. While Diana aided those around her, she herself desperately craved love and kindness, as discussed in the following quote from the New York Times’ Article, “Diana in Search of Herself”. “Indeed, Diana's unstable temperament bore all the markings of one of the most elusive psychological disorders: the borderline personality. This condition is characterized by an unstable self-image; sharp mood swings; fear of rejection and abandonment; an inability to sustain relationships; persistent feelings of loneliness, boredom, and emptiness; depression; and impulsive behavior such as binge eating and