BRAVE IS WHAT HUMANS DO

 

  

------------------- .

Brave is what humans do. Brave for a diverse dozen or more reasons.... visible and invisible. The visible ones we can easily understand -- it's all around us.... broken relationships, single parents, widows, orphaned children, army wives with spouses away in battle on the other side of the globe, abandoned elderly, losing jobs, not making it on the list of graduates, a father holding on to two jobs to send his children to college, losing fortunes, illness, death, etc.
.
The invisible ones are just as many, perhaps even more. A choice many of us choose to hide from the world --- the burden or suffering of an illness, the quiet hurt or pain of betrayal, the hidden tears and grief over something lost, the deep fear or disappointment or frustration over things beyond control, the pain of a mother seeing her child's life go wrong, the heartache of a girl prevented from marrying the man she loves, desired answers to prayers taking too long in coming, and those other things we feel be kept away from prying eyes.
.
Oh both lists can be quite long. Where there are trials in a life, bravery can't be very far behind.
.
A friend once commented as she scrolled down her list of friends.... 'Buti pang mga ito ..Ganda ng mga ngiti noh? Mukhang walang mga problema.' ------ (Look at them smile.. like not a care in the world ever existed!)
.
I looked at the faces she was pointing at... I don't know them; oh maybe some will be my friends one day but I know those smiles. Smiles of people -- brave people -- living brave lives. How do I know that? Because everybody has a story... is a story... and where there is a story you'll find bravery in it. Brave is what humans do.
.
Blessings, everyone!! It's just there... open your eyes and hearts.

KINDNESS IN ANOTHER'S TROUBLE - COURAGE IN YOUR OWN

 

-----------------------
Life is mostly froth and bubble,
Two things stand like stone,
Kindness in another's trouble,
Courage in your own.

-----Gordon Adam Lindsay

Have you come across this poem before? It's beautiful and true, isn't it?
.
Froth and bubble.... if you think about it, life is indeed most of the time froth and bubble. Temporary, fleeting, sometimes meaningless. Those things which we do for ourselves really don't matter where it should matter most. Superficial ---- We spend so much time "caring too much about how we look. about how other people look. about what we say and do and what other people say and do". And we think that's important because it is all about us. Our dreams, ambitions, experiences, opinions, achievements or failures ... our lives. Not that those things in itself are bad; those have its uses, too. But honestly we can take that only to a certain extent. Beyond a certain point it would matter no more.
.
And that certain point is when everything about us is satisfied or sated. Thereafter things only get repeated over and over, again and again and in effect lose its relevance at all. Pointless... meaningless... 'been there-done that' is what some would say. Jaded robotic existence.
.
But have you noticed how your soul comes alive when your focus shifts to another person? Particularly when you share of your self generously... selflessly? Feel the vibrant energy oozing out from you? A spark is lighted (you don't even know how it got there) and you get infused with its brilliant light. You become alive!
.
The same magic happens to you when you face your struggles and challenges with new-found strength... strength you thought no longer existed. Bravery in your own is a magnificent thing. You begin to see life anew with renewed hope, courage, and faith.
.
Kindness and courage .... both give meaning to life --- and life to meaning.
.
Blessings to you all!