Why Miss Colorado Is My Personal Hero [VIDEO]

The contestant from Colorado in this year's Miss America pageant has come under fire by some after her talent was a monologue about her favorite Alzheimer's patient. But I think it was awesome!

I will begin this piece by admitting that I am not a fan of beauty pageants. I fail to see how watching women walk around in bathing suits and heels (who came up with that?) is a determination of anything other than whether or not she has great legs. I've always wished that more attention would be paid to the women's intelligence than to how she looks in an evening gown.

Now, understand, I'm not belittling beauty pageant contestants, but rather, the process of the pageants. A Woman's role in the world has evolved over the years, and most prefer being judged on their intelligence and professional accomplishments rather than beauty and poise. While there are contests for men (and women) to judge their physical fitness, you don't see nationally televised contests that determine which man has the prettiest face and looks best in a speedo.

So, earlier this month, Kelley Johnson stepped on stage in her nurse's uniform and displayed her talent, which is her compassion and professionalism while dealing with Alzheimer's patients. Her monologue told the story of her favorite patient and how 'Joe' made her realize that she is not 'just a nurse' but someone who made a huge difference during a very difficult time in his life.

When I watched the performance on YouTube (because I don't watch the pageants), her story brought tears to my eyes, and reminded me of my own encounters with some amazing nurses. Like the nurse who came into my room after one of my sons was born and just sat in a rocking chair with him so I could finally eat a meal with both hands without also dealing with a fussy baby. Or the nurses who dimmed the lights and tuned a radio to soft gospel music as my grandfather lay dying.

The women on 'The View' ridiculed Johnson's performance, stating that she stood on stage and read her emails. And when they came under fire for their comments, they claimed that the people who criticized them hadn't really listened to their conversation and missed the fact that they didn't understand what Miss Colorado had been doing. And to that I would return that they were the ones not listening. Johnson's story was clearly stated and beautifully touching. Her 'talent' is that she is great at what she does and enjoys making a difference in people's lives, often at their most difficult moments. She stood up for the modern women of the world. She's intelligent, compassionate, professional, and yes, even beautiful. And, for that, I will consider her a personal hero.