It's day 2 of NaBloPoMo. Only 28 days to go. Ha! I'm still questioning my decision here. Anyway...Today's prompt is: When was the last time you did something brave? What happened?
If you consider brave the way I think most people do, then I've never done anything brave. I've never rescued anyone from a burning building or saved someone from drowning in the ocean. I've never stopped a robbery or the life of a gunshot victim. I've never suffered through a fatal illness (thankfully) and I've never had to endure the loss of everything due to a natural disaster- again, thankfully! As a matter of fact, I'm not sure I would show anything resembling brave if I did experience those last two examples. I hope I never have to find out.
I'd like to think I am brave enough to rush in and help in a desperate situation. But I can't say for sure that I would. But what if we take brave down a couple hundred notches to what most of us experience in our lives. I mean, not everyone walks a path where they have opportunities to show the hero types of courage.
All that being said, what have I ever done that even vaguely resembled bravery?
I've birthed and raised 4 daughters. Some people see that as brave. Not those who have 10 kids but some do. And these girls were all teenagers AT THE SAME TIME. That must count for some sort of bravery.
I've recently quit teaching to stay at home and provide daycare for my first grandchild. The jury is still out as to whether that was brave or stupid as I discovered IMMEDIATELY that I am no spring chicken. And I'm tired.
I still live in a town that used to be simple and quaint but that has had such an influx of people who have sucked the quaint right out of it and I haven't killed anyone. I guess that would fall more under restraint than bravery.
I've survived, so far, two of the lovelies moving back home. And I'm pretty sure that is bravery.
I stand up for my family and my beliefs.
We have, for the 3rd year in a row, some not great neighbors living in the house across the street and I haven't killed anyone. Wait. Restraint.
Ok, so I haven't done anything brave. Ever. The opportunity has simply never presented itself. Or God knows that I couldn't handle situations that require bravery so He points me in other directions. I'm more of an encourager to those who do. And I'm good with that. So, I will leave y'all with a short list of people I find brave:
- Single parents. Whether they're a single dad or single mom, these folks walk the path of bravery every single day.
- The kid on the playground who stands up to a bully when the little kid just can't.
- Teachers. They go to school every day to teach and care for kids belonging to other people. Teachers have also been known to put themselves between their students and danger. Brave.
- Women who have to, for whatever reason, start all over again from scratch. I admire their bravery. They could give up and go a different way but they don't. They hang in there and do whatever it takes.
- People who take risks in business or in their personal lives. I admire the peole who do this. They have no idea whether or not the risk will work out but they move forward anyway. I find that brave.
And that's my short list of people who are, in my eyes, brave on a daily basis.
Have y'all done anything brave lately?
