Recently, I was preparing for my regularly scheduled group session of my Road to Recovery Class. In the midst of that preparation, I came across the following quotes, and they were very encouraging and inspirational to me and to the class when I shared them with them.
Courage is not the lack of fear. It is acting in spite of it. -Mark Twain
Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time. – Thomas Edison
Dreams are renewable. No matter what our age or condition, there are still untapped possibilities within us and new beauty waiting to be born. – Helen Keller
Any one of these is worthy an entire article of it’s own for explanation, and that could happen eventually, but for the moment, we will look at each one briefly. I hope to look at each a little deeper, and then share some concluding thoughts. Let’s begin.
Courage is not the lack of fear. It is acting in spite of it. -Mark Twain
What is courage? Miriam Webster defines it as “mental or moral strength to venture, persevere, and withstand danger, fear, or difficulty”
Courage implies that as I enter into a given situation, I understand there is degree of danger, risk, pain that could be associated with it. For many of us just waking up and rolling out of bed to face the day requires a degree of courage.
I once heard it said, “Life is not a bed of roses.” – Or is it?
In life there are always going to be times of beauty, peace and joy – The blooms and fragrance. However, there are going to be trials, disappointments and pain – Thorns.
Courage is taking the risk to smell and take in the roses despite the risk of pain caused by the thorns. Courage is demonstrated when despite having knowledge that the thorns are there and ready and able to harm me, I take the risk of enjoying the rose anyway.
How does that translate to real life? Courage is when I take a chance and introduce myself to a peer at a new support group that I am attending, despite my fear that the individual will reject me entirely, or hurt me at some point in the future. I take the risk of pain for the sake of the potential that this simply introduction may result in a lifelong friend that becomes an integral part of my recovery.
Courage is not having no fear, it is acting despite the fear that is present.
Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time. – Thomas Edison
If there was one thing that could be said that most individuals are good at one time or another in their journey, it is “giving up”.
It hurts when we slip and fall and it is even worse if we are pushed. It is at that point that we want to just lay there on the ground and wallow in our suffering and self-pity. “We throw in the towel” and quit!
Can you imagine what our world would be like to day if Mr. Edison had quit and given up? But, luckily for us, he did not do so. He demonstrated another key component of courage, perseverance, “continued effort to do or achieve something despite difficulties, failure, or opposition “
Courage is that inner strength that prods us to stand-up, dust ourselves off and get right back in the race. Courage encourages us to get up and take that next step and try and try again. We may fall down 10 times or 100, but as long as I get up and keep going one more time after I fall, then I have succeeded, There is no way to win or even finish the race sitting on the curb.
Courage is not giving up or quitting, it is getting up and trying one more time!
Dreams are renewable. No matter what our age or condition, there are still untapped possibilities within us and new beauty waiting to be born. – Helen Keller
Our dreams are renewable! Though they may have been crushed and broken by our own deeds or those of another, they can be restored and made like new once again. New life and energy can be released in them.
It does to matter what hurts, pain and/or scars we have endured or still mark my being, both inside and out. We have value; there is limitless potential and possibilities that lie within. This will sound difficult to believe and accept, but it is often out of the greatest pain and the ugliest of scars that some of the most beautiful remarkable people actually realize who they are and how there scars and pain can be used to help others.
Courage hangs on to the DREAM and believes in the strength and beauty that is within, moving forward growing deeper, without being hindered by past hurts and scars, so that our ultimate destiny and purpose can be realized.
So be of GOOD courage my friends. It is a not a sign of weakness rather of wisdom to be afraid and be cautious as we venture our way along this journey. However, we must NOT allow that fear to restrain us from doing that which is needed to take the next step, overcome that next obstacle and be truly successful in our lives. When we do venture out and take that risk, it is unfortuantely guaranteed that e will not succeed on the first try every time. In fact, we will likely not ever succeed on the first try, but that is when courage steps in and we try and try and try again until we overcome! Hold fast to your dreams; write them down, read and re-read them. No matter where you have been, what has happened to you, or what you have done in the past, there is untapped potential waiting to be released, great beauty waiting to be revealed.
Courage, badge of the wounded, proof of potential!