The Appeal of Lois Lane

There are a lot of differences between Superman and Clark Kent, but the two of them are linked by one genuinely good heart. Superman's heart explodes in red and blue, bold actions, and news headlines. Clark's heart simmers, expressed more quietly, shrouded by his demeanor. But Lois Lane, someone who adored Superman for his clearly-visible heart, took some time to realize that Clark shared that good heart – that heroism. Illustrated well in "Glasses", she sees through the bumbling, silly veil and realizes that Clark and Superman have the same core, and loves them for it. Discoveries like this are not just fictional. It's through listening to and observing Clark that she finds his core and appreciates it, because it's so hidden by his performance. Our cores are hidden too, and that's part of the appeal of the secret identity. The fantasy to a reader is not necessarily, "I'm unnoticed by others, but secretly I am a good person that no one will ever discover." The fantasy may instead be, "I'm unnoticed by others, because good traits are hard to express outwardly on an average day, so no one can see that I am a good person… but someday, some special person or people might come along, who pay enough attention to find out." Our cores are hard to see, just like Clark's. We don't try to hide them; it's just hard for us to express our hearts because we don't have a red and blue costume or superpowers or supervillains to fight. Over the years, you've done a thousand acts of courage, bravery, integrity, compassion, heroism – and no one saw them. They were probably quiet, brief, and almost no one noticed. And you continue doing amazing things every day: every resilient step forward, every moral decision, every denial of a bad temptation, every politeness and every kindness is a sign of your heart. They matter. But it takes a Lois Lane to see them. Someone to listen, observe, and encourage all those "little" things you do that make you an everyday hero. It's a fantasy to find that someone, but it's also enriching to be that someone. You can pay attention to the subtle, wonderful parts of others. Notice them, and support them, give credit for them, love people for them. It's much easier to love humanity when you truly listen to it. If you want to be a good person, consider being like Superman and Clark Kent. If you want to nurture the good in others, be like Lois Lane. Have a reporter's nose for the hearts of others.