Courage has many definitions. According to Nelson Mandela, he learned ‘that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear‘.
We all experience fear. It may be fear of getting unwell, dying, being bullied, rejection, starting something new, truth and so on. We all face emotional distress brought by social interactions, bad luck and so on. It’s okay. That’s life.
But strong people hang on.
Strong people are those who help us to navigate tricky situations while pointing us in the right direction. Thank you everyone that has helped and accepted help. Thank you for making some of us dig deep and locate courage from within.
Facing uncertainty
I don’t know about you, but I’m still afraid of corona, covid-19. I don’t want to catch it or pass it on. But if it happens it happens. Many of us are concerned and wondering how long this will go on. If ever we will get back to ‘normal.’ Covid-19 has been on everyone’s mind. We’re being advised in some quarters to learn to live with it. Mentally it affects us. It affects our children and young people who find it difficult to relax end embrace life, constantly being reminded of nearby danger. It’s times like this that I’m thankful for the little courage I still possess, to carry on and live life to the full.
Thanks to every one of us for encouraging one another, telling us we will get over this. I thank all the voices that had something positive to say, steering us towards hope and courage. Thank you.
There is this program that find long lost relatives. It’s not just a sudden decision for someone to find a mother, father or sister. Some would have been thinking about this for a long time, coming up with different scenarios , maybe in the end shrugging it off. After taking that major step, its lovely when one obtains a positive outcomes. Locating loved ones and catching up on lost years. But others get the truth, something far off from what they’d have imagined. But I think, whatever the issue or subject one is pursuing, it’s better knowing than not knowing. Well done on you for seeking truth
Thanks to courage.
Pain/danger
Thank you friends, family, church, media, social media, and so on for helping me to face and tackle painful situations.
We hear often when someone has passed on, people saying how courageous the deceased fought. ‘So and so faced hers/his cancer with courage,‘ it’s something we hear a lot. We see pain and fear on the faces of loved ones when they’re fighting for life. This doesn’t mean that danger has been removed. Quiet often when one makes a decision to be courageous there’s danger and risks.. There’s no need to show courage when one is not threatened. We exercise courage in challenging situations.
We worry about all sorts, money, health, relationships and so on. Courage is the decision we make to face whatever it is head on, tactfully, by whatever means.
We search for strength to carry on. It is difficult to forget pain. Each time you close your eyes it’s there. Perhaps its remembering a painful event like losing a loved one. The mind wanders and remembers what happened before. A song perhaps you all listened to and were happy. I was talking to a friend quite advanced in years, telling her how lucky she is. She is mobile, has mental capability, friends, financially comfortable, and so on. At that age one gets discomfort and diagnosis that comes with the territory of being elderly. But my friend didn’t share my sentiments. You see she has had her share of bad luck. She pointed out her weaknesses, telling me its the mind, the thinking at night and all that. But I still get encouraged by her, and her life story. Her ability to give herself tasks and purpose through her physical and mental pain. The ability to move forward takes courage.
Courage means going forward with an action , feelings will catch up with you later. Have the courage to hold on not quit.
Thank you for giving me courage to stand up to bullies.
Courage to speak and not be silent when things are going wrong.
Courage to seek truth. In the pursue for truth we must be prepared to unravel unpleasant stuff about our past, relationships, our suspicions and so on. But courage enables us to move forward and take action.
Thank you for teaching me to be courageous and not quit.
Thanks to love
There are people you can count on. Your family and friends for example. What about if you lose them what happens then? Broken and finding it difficult to carry on? There are options, for instance a bit of help. Making a choice is a good decision and most of us have had help to get there. It may be drug/substance, alcohol abuse,, whatever the addiction or fear, we all need help. Seeking help takes courage. Helpers do so with respect and love. There are jobs, volunteering and so on where the top qualification is a calling. Being in it because you love what you do.
Thanks to love.
Thank you for giving me courage not to quit.
For telling me I can chase fear away.
That I’m the bravest person.
You gave and showed me love.
Love starts in the shadows until its needed then goes back into the shadows.
Thanks to people who love me unconditionally. Thank you for pointing me in the right direction and letting me take centre stage. Knowing that I’m not alone. You’re there whenever I need you. Close, nearby. Not intruding but encouraging from a distance as one encourages a child to take those small steps forward.
Be encouraged.
Step out try new things.
People who try new things sometimes get judged and criticised. But when things start working out there are many takers. Me too movement was started by brave courageous people, (Tarana Burke). Harvey Weinstein challengers (actress Rose McGowan and Ashley Judd), eventually others, encouraged a lot of women who’d gone through similar experiences to speak out and not be silenced.. But the moment they made the decision to speak out, about the shame that they’d lived under, their actions resulted in positive changes across the world. Many were encouraged to stand and speak against the people who had a grip on them. They said no, it ends today. They were not gonna roll down in that ditch again. Never again. The action of a few liberated a lot of people. Strong influential people have fallen from grace because somebody, somewhere was courageous.
They broke the grip.
Whatever was holding them back, being a people pleaser, afraid to lose their jobs became irrelevant. They made a decision. They had the belief that they were not going back to that same old person, the same woman they were, was. They broke down barriers, the same thoughts, the old person/s they had become. You too can:
Step into yourself.
Follow your heart
Most of all, walk in love.