I recently saw the film, Spider-Man 2 - a fantastic work of art with important moral lessons interlaced within the absorbing action sequences and touching love story.

Spidey, one of my all-time comic book favorites, is a young man of strong fiber, both physically and spiritually. Almost broke, seemingly a powerless nothing lost in the sea of big-city faces, our hero teaches us the value of faith, persistence, and ethical behavior while overcoming enormous personal and professional challenges.

The thing about Peter Parker (Spider-Man's secret identity) that stands out the most is his desire to be honest - to do the right thing-and even when he sometimes fails in that quest, he manages to pick himself up and keep moving ahead.

We can all learn a few valuable lessons from Spider-Man. His personal mission in life (his "path of service") comes from his role as a superhero, able to save innocent victims and assist the "good guys" in fighting crime. We all have a path of service that we can discover and follow to help our fellow human beings.

While Peter accepts the responsibility of being a superhero, at times he questions if he is on the right career path. Like so many of us, he asks for guidance from a higher source in times of great need. Yes, even a superhero can question the role destiny asks him to play.

As his Aunt May says, "Everyone has a hero inside of him." You can develop your own path of service and allow the hero inside of you free to achieve your own career and personal dreams. And, just as Spider-Man teaches us, the challenges you face on the way to victory are worth it in the end.

In these troubling times of rampant unethical and criminal behavior by those whom we should be looking up to as role models, Spider-Man is a breath of fresh air. He shows us that the ideals of honesty, courage, and compassion can never be out of style. Indeed, humanity needs those ideals - and better yet, their practice - more than ever.

© Kathy Sanborn
Life Channels Staff Writer
All Rights Reserved

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