A hero, in the simplest form, is someone who is admired or idealized for courage, outstanding achievements, or noble qualities. Mother Teresa is someone that first comes to mind when I think of a hero. Originally Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhiu, Mother Teresa spent her early days in India and felt her calling to religious life at the age of 12. At 18, she decided to become a nun and set off to Ireland to do so. There, she took the name Sister Mary Teresa. After one year, she was sent back to India to make her first vows and was sent to Calcutta to teach girls of the city’s poorest families. About six years later, she took her final vows and was to live a life of poverty, chastity, and obedience; during this time, she took the title, “Mother” and became Mother Teresa. Much later, she felt a call from God to leave teaching and work in Calcutta with the poorest of the poor. She could not leave without official permission, but with permission one year later, she left the convent and ventured out into the city. Due to selfless acts such as these, Mother Teresa is looked up to by all. Mother Teresa is my modern day hero because of her courage and generosity.
   

Courage is the first characteristic that Mother Teresa possesses that makes her a hero. Her calling to religious life shows us that she truly had courage and confidence in God because she accepted the call at such a young age. The acceptance of her call shows me, and hopefully others, that God always has the best path in mind for us whether we know it at the time or not. Another courageous decision that Mother Teresa made was moving from India to Ireland at 18. Although 18 may not seem young, moving at that age about 34 hours away takes great courage and is something that I do not think I could ever do. These callings and decisions show how much confidence Mother Teresa had in God and that he would carry her through any struggles or hardships.
  

Generosity is the second trait that Mother Teresa possesses.When the term generosity comes to mind, most people think of it as meaning giving away lots of money to the needy. However, someone who shows generosity or is generous is someone who is happy and willing to give time and kindness to those in need. Mother Teresa is an exemplary example of this trait. Mother Teresa was generous with her time and spent almost all of her time giving back to the poor and working with charities. She also showed generosity through her kindness to the poor. She specifically showed kindness to the people that received it the least; some of these people included lepers, orphans, the disabled, and senior citizens. This trait of generosity shows people today how they should be living by giving back to others and putting others before themselves.
 

Courage and generosity are two characteristics that Mother Teresa portrays that make her my modern day hero. Her confidence in God was a main factor in her ability to always say “yes” to her callings. She was very young when major decisions in her life were made, and her courage gave her the ability to listen to God’s calling and accept it. Generosity is seen through Mother Teresa’s willingness to give her time and kindness to those in need. She spent most of her time in the community with the poorest of the poor helping and caring for them. Mother Teresa shows a strong sense of loyalty to God and his plan; no matter what she went through, her loyalty to God never faltered. In conclusion, Mother Teresa is an inspiration to all and is my modern day hero due to these characteristics.