Recently, being “brave” has come to mind lately — so much that I think there have been situations that have purposefully that are making me courageous.  Not overly big things, but things that gently (not really) push me outside of my comfort zone.  Maybe my being brave is something you never even notice, but I know it when I feel it.  Maybe, a few of you notice but never say anything to me.  That is perfectly fine with me.  Do you think that being brave means you have to pull people out of a burning car, step in when you see a child in danger, or sacrificing your life for other members of your military squadron?  Yes, all of those actions show signs of bravery to the extreme.  But chances are (we hope), we are never in those situations, but being brave doesn’t end there.  Being brave can mean saying “hello” to someone who never even looks at you every time they walk by you.  Being brave means trying something new and laughing at yourself if it doesn’t go the way you thought it would.  Being brave means opening yourself up to a stranger and as you part, you end up friends.  The little moments — the ones that seem so insignificant and meaningless — are the ones that we will encounter every day.  I have seen more courage in other people lately that have finally taken steps that will propel them towards their goal.  It is not going to be easy, but life never is.  Being brave is about trying one more time when you think you can’t.  Success is not guaranteed when you are brave, but people admire the actions you took and the words you said when no one else did or said nothing.  Ever had a moment when you had to stand up for what you believed in and as you looked around the room, you noticed you were the only one standing?  What did you do?  Did you let others decide what you feel and what you think?  If you did, what did you feel afterwards?  I can guess…you felt like you caved and had some regret for not having enough conviction to stay true to yourself.  You are not alone as we have all had a time or two like that in our lives.  But, what if you took every moment that presented itself to you and took it ONE STEP (just one) further than everyone else would?  And then, what would happen, if you took it another step and another?  Pretty soon, your “brave” is looking and feeling like “normal” to you.  Finally, you get to a point when it doesn’t matter to you what others think about what you are doing or saying.  You are going to do it and say it anyway.  So, do those things that no one is doing and say the words that have sat in your heart way too long.  Bring brave is about challenging yourself and feeling exhilarated about opportunities and people that present themselves in our lives.  Being brave is about admitting that life is not perfect, and so instead you are living a real life. Being brave is about being patient and letting the unknown slowly work its magic.  You will never know how big brave your brave is until you put it on.  Perhaps, someone will notice and tell you and maybe no one will notice.  But you feel stronger and empowered so that when (not if) you have that moment, we will all see you be brave.  “Brave” by Sara Bareilles

Michelle A. Homme 2013 ©