Bravery

It is amazing how unpredictable the strength of an individual can be. There is something inside each of us that either makes us strong enough in hard times to be couragous and withstand those trials, or determines that we are not strong enough to do so. There is no sure way of knowing how strong a person is until they are put to the test. I would like to think, as most people would, that in a fearful moment of great importance and stress that I would be capable of doing what needed to be done - that I could find the courage within myself. But there is no sure way of knowing if I would until it comes to that moment and I face that decision which is made in a split second; to be brave or weak.

I'm not saying being weak is always a bad thing. To be weak often means being gentle, something of which there is far too little of in the world today. What I'm talking about is the kind of bravery that sets you apart from the average person and makes you a person who has an important influence in some important event by the actions of a crucial moment.
However, there are different types of bravery. It is not always found in one moment or even a short time, but also sometimes in the actions of years (I have experienced this), or even a lifetime.

This has had me thinking about my life a lot lately. I've been wondering what impact or importance my life is going to have, what I'm going to do with my life, etc. In short, what is going to make my life matter? Will I go through my life essentially wasting time and waiting for something to happen, or will I step up and grab life by the horns, and actually make something of my time here on earth? The idea of simply trudging through life earning a paycheck or doing something of little significance is definitely not something I relish. I wonder if I will live bravely and be remembered. Everyone dies, not everyone truly lives.

Being brave, after all, is not being without fear, but rather being strong enough and willing to overcome it. As John Wayne said, "Courage is being scared to death but saddling up anyway." I believe we all have strength and bravery somewhere within us, however deep, if only we can find and use them.