Odysseus was a great man. He fought fearsome monsters and made countless difficult decisions on his journey home. Despite the fact that he didn’t slay hordes of monsters or travel mystical seas, my father is a hero just like Odysseus. My dad’s a hero because he, like Odysseus, has devoted much of himself for his home and his family. As my dad said, “My motivation is raising my children and being a positive role model to them.”

My dad, Scott, was the youngest child of three. He was born and raised in Lebanon, Indiana. With a dad for an alcoholic, my father had a tough childhood. He didn’t have a good dad to look up to, which is why he tries his best to be the best father he can. My dad said, “My adversities are surviving after growing up in an alcoholic home and overcoming issues of self-esteem.” He also went to the emergency room many times for serious injuries throughout his life growing up. Odysseus had an injury when he was young and has a scar on his leg, and my dad got scars from some of his injuries.

Black hair and glowing green eyes come to mind when I think of my father. He has a great smile and shows it often. “Bringing happiness to others is what makes me happy,” my father said, and it shows in that those are the times when he smiles most. Odysseus tried to prove himself to others and help his men, similar to how my father tries to bring happiness to others.

Like Odysseus, my father has some rules to live by. My dad’s rules are to treat others with respect, have self-esteem, and be happy. Odysseus spent his entire journey in order to be happy in his homeland with his family. My father is the same, striving to live by these rules. All heroes have rules that they live by, and my father’s are simple, yet vital to living a good life.

“My goals are to raise healthy, happy, well-adjusted sons and to continue to learn, grow, and better myself every day,” the words of my dad, are an example of his heroism. He has good, long-term goals set for life, much like epic heroes such as Odysseus, who spent twenty long years getting home.

All epic heroes have something they dislike. For Odysseus, it was insolent and cruel people. For my dad, it’s petty bickering and negative behavior from others. That’s what disappoints him in life. My dad fights against it and tries to resolve the issues of negative behavior, as Odysseus tried to silence those who were mean or disrespectful. The only difference is that Odysseus used weapons, and my dad uses appraisal of the situation, patience, and compassion.

My father, Scott, is a true epic hero. He has faced great adversities in his life, such as having a rough childhood and an alcoholic dad. Despise his struggles growing up, he strives to do everything he can to be the best father he can be. He resolves conflicts, advises others, and always does something kind to brighten another’s day. Those are the true aspects of an epic hero. Someone who devotes their life to helping others and learns from past mistakes of others to be improve where they were lacking. My dad is a modest, but genuine hero, for he has taken the journey of being a great father.