Quiet Courage

-Writer Anne Morrow Lindbergh

 

If you haven’t already discovered it for yourself, let me be the one to tell you that life is hard.  It is also not fair and it is harder for some people than it is for others.  The challenges of life do not mean that life is terrible and not worth living.  There are few people who will not do whatever it takes to keep on living.  To paraphrase from the poet Dylan Thomas, few of us go gently into that good night.  It’s not that we fear death, it’s that we love living.  Most of our days are ordinary.  We take care of ourselves and our families, we drop our children off at the daycare or school, we come to work, and then we go home.  For some going home means rest.  For others, going home is delayed because of second jobs.  Still others go home to hungry mouths, piles of laundry, and homework assignments.  Few of us have not had moments where we wanted to scream and yell “It’s too much”!  However, in quieter moments of rest and reflection, our faith is renewed, we feel secure in our belief that we will receive what we need, and hope gives us a sense of security.  Some men and women do heroic things that we hear about in the news.  I always admire such people.  However, I also admire the everyday heroes that are never in the news.  These are the people who push themselves to do all they are called to do. They get up every day and come to work.  The take care of their families.  They are faithful to their commitments.  Such people are the salt of the earth and they are full of quiet courage that is not often noticed.