A word about courage...

Remember this guy?

I was reading a book last week about how oftentimes we get stuck in a cycle of waiting for someone else to give us what we want or to make us become what we eventually want to be. 

Like the cowardly lion waiting for the wizard to give him courage, or the Scarecrow wishing for a brain, or the tin man waiting around for his new heart, or even Dorothy hoping for a way home. 

First of all, I don't want this post to sound like I don't believe in getting help from other people, but I do believe that there is something to be said about courage- in whatever sense of the word means the most to YOU. 

Sometimes courage can be: 

Going some place new, 

or taking a hard class, 

or dealing with a serious trial,

 making a change,

focusing on someone else in the midst of your own struggles,

saying goodbye to a friend you love, 

or even staying right where you are... and just waiting until you know what your next move is.

You see, we all have power within our circumstances to make things better in our lives, or at least more bearable, if only we pray, imagine, and work like the whole world is counting on it. And I believe that courage, and a large dose of faith are the recipe for such a life. 

The fact is, we all have those giants in our lives that scare us half to death. And what might be a giant for one person may be nothing more than a little speed bump for someone else. 

WE HAVE NO WAY OF KNOWING.

And my thought is... we'd be way less judgmental if we actually DID know.

There, I said it. So try to love everyone a little more, and recognize those around you for the courage they are exerting. And try to love yourself for every ounce of courage YOU are trying to muster every day.