The childhood superhero or superheroes, and why we still love heroes.

The inspiration for this hub came from one of my favourite hubbers Chris. (drej2522) and his hub for the love of superman.

As I read about him and about the observations of his childhood superhero. I started to contemplate nostalgically about my own childhood super hero, Shera and the effect her influence has had on me so far in my life's journey.

As I started to take a trip down memory lane, it was not long before I recalled a time when I was a little girl of 5 and it was my birthday.

In this particular year, I had the most amazing Shera cake. In my opinion the person who had created that cake, was a true artist, just thinking about that time made me feel very exited again. It was by far the best looking birthday cake I have ever had, bar none.

However as with many things in life all was not as it seemed and as much disappointment was to come, as the delight I had first felt. And when the disappointment came, it suffocated the joy when I discovered it was a fruit cake. Which at the time I couldn't stand the taste of  and refused point blank to eat it.

Then double the sorrow came when my beautiful cake got cut up and eaten, by everyone else but me. I didn't get any! But then that was my own fault, I chose not to eat it. Two very important life lessons I learnt that day. Don't judge a book by it's cover or indeed a cake by it's icing and don't complain you did not get anything, if you decided to refuse it.

I also remember watching the cartoon, religiously after school, it was something I looked forward to and I still get a buzz of anticipation from other programs I watch on T.V. now.

Contemplating all the ways I have already been influenced by her existence and how I am still influenced by her today, it's not surprising for instance that she has already been my avatar twice since I started writing on hubPages and is being discussed in this very hub as well as being vividly part of one of my earliest memories.

The creators of Shera in my opinion were geniuses, they had all bases covered and looking back a lot of very clever thinking went on behind the character development.

• She rode around on a flying white unicorn, that wore a pink mask called swift wind, now what girl didn't dream of flying around on a unicorn and wouldn't want one of those as a toy?
• She was a princess but not one of those prissy, damsel in distress kinds that just sit around twizzling there thumbs waiting to get rescued. She was a kick ass chick and the princess of power, no less. She was the one risking life and limb, to save, defend and protect others.
• She was a tough bird with a lot of fight and physically more then able to hold her own, weather in arm to arm combat or in a lethal sword fight. Winning countless fights, often single handed. She was an excellent swords-person and partly because of that learning, to fence has a prominent, permanent place on my own personal things to do before you die list.
• She was intelligent and unapologetic about it, she thought up great schemes to escape from seemingly impossible situations. Could navigate well, think up great strategies for attacking the enemy and was a dab hand figuring out problems.
• She was quick witted too and had smart funny lines, as good as any male superheroes'. Her sense of humour was clever without being cold.
• Although she was clearly a strong woman, a warrior or soldier of sorts. She didn't lose any of her femininity, was still very girly and had a soft graceful demeanor. She had lots of long blond hair, which I think is part of the reason I grew my hair long and dye it blond, for me it was a good look. She wore a gold tiara and jewellery, along with a short dress and long gold boots.  All of which miraculously didn't seem to inhibit her performance in anyway. 
• I also vaguely remember some guy called He-man, that shared screen time with Shera, which the boys liked a fair bit. However I honestly don't remember that much about him, because for me she always stole the show.
  

As we grew up and get older, we start to leave our superheros behind, we begin to believe we are above all that make believe nonsense and start to think we are far too mature for all that.

As we mature we feel more restricted, gain more responsibility and we get a few short sharp shocks, the more unpleasant doses of reality. Kicking us into touch and meaning we lose some of the wonder and imaginative spirit that use to come so easily for us as children.

As our life changes so do our interests and although playing superheroes was fun at the time, it no longer feels relevant or appropriate as we approach adolescents and adulthood.

For most of us our childhood superheroes don't completely disappear, they just hibernate for a few years and wait for us to embrace them again.

When we begin to look back at our childhood to evaluate how and what has contributed to the person you have become today and what you want from the future. Chances are the superhero you adopted as a child, has played a small but significant role.

This is in part because they are actually, a reflection of yourself. A lot of their attributes and beliefs, are in fact your attributes and beliefs. They were projecting your hopes, dreams, aspirations and fears.

Which is why we still identify with them, even as adults because despite everything we haven't fundamentally, really changed all that much from when we were kids, especially in our heads.