On Being Courageous

Thursday, May 24, 2012
The topic of courage has been on my mind of late. It seems like many of my friends (and me) are dealing with life changes ranging from employment decisions, to identity, to family matters. All of these things can be challenging, and all require a great deal of thought and planning in order to make an informed decision about what's best for everyone involved.

But all of these challenges have one thing in common - they must be met with courage. I've written before about the role of fear and courage in my life, but occasionally, I need a little reminder about what it means to live a life without fear, and the rewards associated with doing so. As my amazing friend Anne noted elsewhere, "Courage is, IMO, an essential trait to living a non-meh life." Just so.

And it's always nice when the inspiration for a courageous life is close to home. Or in this case, living in my home.

My Hot Daughter is one of the most courageous human beings I've ever met. Without being defensive, she doesn't apologize for who she is. She tries hard not to make excuses for whatever boneheaded moves she has up her sleeve. If people don't like who she is, she wisely considers the consequence of their judgement to be their loss. But most of all, she has the courage of her convictions. From where I'm sitting, this kid lives an utterly fearless life, and always has.

That doesn't mean I think she's never afraid. Every sane person is afraid occasionally. But more than any other person I know, she doesn't allow her fear to inform her actions, nor does she fail to stand up when it matters.

I'm a lucky, lucky human. Not only do I like my kid, but she's a source of inspiration to me, as well. My courageous girl.

3 comments:

Stacey said...

What a wonderful thing to be able to say about your daughter. I feel the same way about mine. She is unapologetic about her life and belief systems and wants to be a better person. What more could we ask?

Janiece said...

Not a damn thing, Stacey.

teeshirtonline2012 said...
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