Dear Bravery

You want to run but you don’t. You feel a panic in your heart but you stay to face what you’ve been asked to do. You’ve fallen on the ground but slowly, with great fortitude you lift yourself up and press your face into the sunlight of the day. You learn to speak from your heart. You learn to feel the darkest things that are around you -- and yet you do not run. Like magic, you gain strength just from standing and not moving. You gain more strength from daring to speak what you feel. And then, when you hear the words you have spoken, they give you even more strength to continue. Then you notice that someone’s listening. Then you hear the applause. And though this makes you afraid, you do not run and hide. Instead you open your heart some more and you feel less afraid and you know you are brave.