Live in Courage or Crawl in Fear

It's Saturday morning , I am enjoying a peppermint mocha latte in the comfort of my home and reflecting upon the last few weeks. Call me crazy but that's what I do these days. Maybe that is what you are supposed to do in your 40's I don't know, but I am compelled to do allot of it. I'm OK with it. I shared my thoughts on this with a trusted friend and she encouraged me to write about it here. I write from my heart not from the pen of an eloquent writer so please forgive me if you find a spelling mistake or literal blunder! 

So what can I share in this blog post that may have some meaning this morning to anyone who takes the time to read? 

To keep it simple, in my opinion there are two paths in life for us to follow… LIVE with Courage or Crawl in Fear.. the path you choose you can FEEL the difference inside … POWER of Choice determines the path and the feeling.  How in the heck did I come to form this opinion? Well aside from my over all life journey..there was one week this past month that particularly struck me that lead me to this message.

In the span of a week I was blessed to have dinner with a man who has turned his passion not only into a career but a mission that inspires young and old alike to believe and challenge themselves beyond what they ever thought possible. Passion that explodes so addicting that it lights an internal spark within. You know because you can feel it in your gut and the energy his aura creates is invigorating. His resolve and courage

That same evening I am announcing a special memorial award in honor of a colleague who lost her fight with cancer in front of her parents. Their resolve and courage

Next day I learn my Aunt has passed away. One of the kindest and gentlest lady's I ever met. She cried when she saw you coming and she cried when you left..always tears of joy on both occasions. My last memory with her was at her daughters 60 birthday party in August where she hugged me and of course cried. My sister and I had our picture taken with her as did all her family that day. With each picture she cried as she posed. I felt then, they were not tears of joy but the realization knowing it was probably the last photo’s she would take and the last birthday she would celebrate with her daughter. She was right. Her resolve and courage

 It hit me , the  special people who made up the bulk  of my childhood memories are dying off. What is left are the memories.  You take these people for granted when you are young. The thought that one day they will be gone doesn't  enter your mind. Somehow we believe they will live forever. Then you hit  the age when you realize forever means something totally different. 

Thursday I am at a youth group home painting. A place that is home to kids their backgrounds each different and unique , in some cases the only thing they have brought with them is the clothes on their back. This place is a safe haven compared to where they have come from. Their goal if they choose to stay is to graduate high school or secondary education, learn life skills so when they leave they can make it on their own.  What might be running thru their young minds , how they cope, how they carry on, their perseverance to rise above the stereotypes and the struggles they face are all questions I have. Their resolve and courage.

Hearing about a young man in my community who is losing his battle with a heart condition he has had since birth. Thinking about what his parents must be feeling knowing they are going to lose their only son..it’s overwhelming.  This young life was placed on earth for a purpose. He is here to fill HIS purpose and from day one everyone knew his life was limited. From the stories I have heard and read , from seeing him myself,  this little man through his young life has inspired many lives. He probably doesn't even realize it. He sure has inspired the power of prayer, people praying who may never thought of such an act. The fact he still smiles while he is fighting says a great deal about his character. His resolve and courage.

Ending the week helping a friend who was having a rough week. My role in that moment was to listen, give a hug and hold his hand. Tell him someone does care and someone does understand. Tell him, what he is feeling..he is not alone and it’s OK to break down every now and then..there is no judgment.  In that moment, I wasn't there to judge I was there to potentially save a life.  His resolve and courage.

Am I crazy for thinking about the impact these experiences had? I like to think I am lucky enough to value these moments to really feel the lessons that I myself are being taught. I like to think they are powerful enough to share.

Resolve and courage.. …..feels like a powerful combination. In each experience I thought about what if FEAR replaced the courage? What could the alternative meant? It's pretty simple to figure out based on my own choices and based on what I see going on in the world.

Power of choice ...time for me to pay attention to that. I think without even realizing it, my whole life I have always had that power..it may be what has gotten me through all my ups and downs! 

The trick is realizing we are never alone, people do care. There is something to be learned from every experience and the beauty of it is..we can always change what path we go down 

..The POWER OF CHOICE!