Quiet Bravery

I've thought a lot about bravery during the past two years. I'd once thought bravery belonged to the soldiers who fought wars, or heroes who faced danger to save another.

But I've learned that bravery is so much more. Many people fight battles with disease with a quiet bravery that inspires everyone who knows them. Bravery comes in many forms. My husband has battled with an unknown disease since the middle of December. Yet, he faces each day with a smile as he waits patiently for the doctors to diagnose his problem. My son-in-law faced a battle with cancer and won. My friend's husband is fighting a battle with cancer right now. Cancer requires a great bravery from the ones who are afflicted to all who love them.

A mother must be brave when she watches her child walk into the doors of a schoolhouse for the very first time.

A child who falls off a bicycle, then climbs back on, shows bravery.

Every day we see people who exhibit a quiet bravery as they move through their lives. You won't see them decorated with medals, nor will you read about them in the paper.

I once stopped in a busy intersection to offer help to a young woman with two children, whose car had stalled. What bravery it took for her to trust me, a stranger. She accepted my hospitality when she couldn't reach anyone from her family to come to her rescue. She'd driven in from out of town to do some shopping and had the terrifying experience of being stranded. My husband helped to move her car out of the intersection into a safe parking lot and we took them all home with us. She spent a couple of hours with us before someone came to help her.I can't imagine what bravery it took for her to accept our hospitality when we were perfect strangers. 

About a month later I received a card from her with pictures of the boys. She thanked me for showing her children that angels come in many forms. What a wonderful blessing that was for me.

My mother was a quiet, independent, shy person. I never realized how brave she was until 2009. If you'd like to read the story, I blogged about it today at White Roses In Bloom.

Thanks for stopping by.