Usually we characterize a hero as someone who’s supernaturally strong or talented, but I’ve come to appreciate my hero on a deeper level.

My hero is my mom. She works harder than anyone I know. She has a full-time job as a legal assistant and also goes to college two nights a week. She has gone back to school because she would like to go into business. Needless to say, as a single mother working, going to school and trying to live her life, she’s often stressed but somehow, she always manages to be there for her daughters.

The average day in my mom’s life goes something like this: she wakes up and makes breakfast (my favorite is when I wake up to the rich, creamy smell of sausage, biscuits, and gravy), works from eight to five, and then is our chauffeur. It amazes me how she manages to be in two places at once, and even after she’s home, her work continues. She makes dinner, and always manages to take care of all the other things moms do, like help with homework.

Sometimes it seems as if it’d be impossible for her to have a social life. My mom works so hard to make everyone else happy that at times I wonder if she is happy. But even with all the work she does, she manages to find time to have fun. That’s what I love so much about her. She has taught me balance in my life. It’s easy to get caught up in responsibilities and lose sight of how important other things are, like spending time with family and friends.

That’s the reason why mom and I love to go out to eat together. We’ll sit at a table for two, eat hot sandwiches from Louise’s, and catch up on things. I enjoy our lunches because my mom always finds a way to make me relax and smile. We look so much alike that people probably think we’re sisters, but we’re mom and daughter, best friends, having lunch.

When I’m stressed, I remember how she manages to do it all and still stay happy. She’s so motivated and always does her best. I admire her because I’ve never seen her give up.

Many children, boys in particular, would probably say their hero is Spiderman or Batman because of their physical abilities and their desire to help society. But once you hit a certain age, you realize that these superheros don’t really exist and true heroes are everyday people. My mom may not be able to fly, but she’s my hero because she has always been there for me, through thick and thin. I know that my mom doesn’t always receive the praise of a hero, but in my heart all of her hard work and dedication truly make her one.