Inspirations

Two American women. Both are famous. One of these women deserves to be famous for how she has overcome adversity. The other is famous for being famous.

On the left (above) we have the media darling, Kim Kardashian. She is famous for being famous. Her major claim to fame, as far as I can see is; nothing noteworthy. She had a baby without being married to the child's father. In this day, not an uncommon event. The father of her child is famous (or infamous, depending on how you look at things.) Also, not uncommon. The big news this week about Kim was, her new hairstyle. Really? Her hairstyle after giving birth. I wish I knew this a year ago. After my daughter had her baby, I would have taken her to get her haircut, taken pictures and she and her little family would be set for life. My son in law would not have to work because his wife got a new haircut! Oh, wait. They are married, it's not news. Well, I tried.

Can you guess, I'm not a Kim fan? If I referred to her as 72 days, you'd still know who I was talking about. I don't get it. But, I'm a simple guy. What do I know?

On the right, we have Ms.  Elizabeth Smart.

If there ever was an opposite of the media hound Kim Kardashian, it's got to be Elizabeth. Rather than being famous for being famous, Ms. Smart is known to all of us for survival. Her strength of character cool head and intellect at the age of 14 kept her alive. It enabled her to survive, experience rescue and most important, allowed her to heal.

We all know the story of Elizabeth Smart. On a warm summer evening in 2002, 14 year old Elizabeth was in her bed, in her room at home. She was forcefully ripped from this place of safety and endured 9 months of rape and torture, that the average person can not imagine.

On that night, more than 10 years ago, Elizabeth's childhood ended. She was experiencing a true hell on this earth. But, it would end. It did. 9 months after the kidnapping, the country was stunned to learn that Elizabeth Smart was alive and after the capture of her tormentors, she was reunited with her family. The healing could begin.

Her recovery has been mostly a private process but, we can imagine what it has required of this young girl, now a grown woman. Fortunately, she has had a supportive family who has loved and supported her in her quest to find sanity after the insane circumstance she found herself in.

Elizabeth Smart is now a grown woman of 25, she has more than just survived. An ABC news contributor and activist, she is married and stands as an example of how to turn adversity around and live a positive life as a role model for us all.

Ms. Smart will be interviewed by NBC news on "Dateline" tonight. I will be watching. I'd encourage all of you to watch. You will see a real Inspiration.

Elizabeth Smart never sought the spotlight of national notoriety. It was thrust upon her. Since her ordeal, she has conducted herself with style, grace and class. When media hounds like Kim Kardashian embarrass all of us by their outrageous conduct, we need only look to the Elizabeth Smarts of the world to realize, all is not lost for our culture, there is still hope.