Heroes and Artists

Sometimes I think about how words get cheapened. It seems to me its happened to the words artist and hero. What is an artist? Who can be an artist? Is everyone an artist in their own way? Who are the real heroes? The ones who inspire us? The ones who would do whatever their duty demands of them? The ones who care when others don't? We all have heroes. Our parents have been our heroes sometimes, our teachers, community leaders, clergy, first responders, crossing guards, firefighters, cops, doctors, scientists... the list can go on and on. And yet the word sometimes gets used for trivial things. I guess in the end it's in the eye of the beholder.