Tuesday, April 22, 2014

courage

Courage is one of those loaded words that everyone reacts to but no one really comprehends. Or maybe that's just me. I am ashamed at the degree to which I've stayed small and comfortable. On the other hand, I don't think courage is big and bold and loud. I think courage is sitting with someone in their grief. It's being honest with those you know you're going to disappoint. Courage is not just loving; courage is letting someone love you. Courage is letting go, when it isn't hanging on.


(Book club ladies - don't read this until Sunday)

I'm anxiously awaiting my super awesome book club retreat this weekend, and struggling to read BrenĂ© Brown's Daring Greatly. When you're confronted reading a book that is about being both vulnerable and courageous, it's kind of hard to feel like you're being very brave. I was going to just blindly push through, but this prompt made that untenable. But maybe just keeping on reading (even though I invariably fall asleep) will be that small step that reverberates like a roaring lion.

2 comments:

  1. Goodness yes! Dr Brown's work is never an easy read. But OH! The rewards.
    Reading your words reminded me of quote I really love from Mary Anne Radmacher that goes: "Courage doesn't always roar. Sometimes courage is the little voice at the end of the day that says I'll try again tomorrow."

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    Replies
    1. Oh, I love that. Sometimes it does feel like just keeping going is heroic on some level. And also acknowledging that what we've done is all we could do.

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