Bravery, Fear

Daily Meditation 970–10/29/2024

Just as yesterday we demonstrated a unique paradox in that a dead flower can still be very beautiful as it goes from physical beauty to, instead, “practical” beauty as it will nourish the soil for the next year, today we have another paradox.

One cannot be brave if they are not afraid.

It is so simple for one to insist they are brave as they eat their breakfast, as they drive to work, as they sit at a desk. But it is when we are actually afraid that bravery is brandished.

If you stomp around, chest puffed and full of arrogance to “look brave” or tough, well — you don’t look brave. You look like a fool.

It will be when things are horrifically awry that you’ll be tested.

When the bully is grabbing at the woman outside the bar — do you stop them? Or ignore?

When the mentally ill is threatening everyone in a subway car — do you let them hurt someone? Or do you intervene?

When your coworker is spreading falsehoods about someone else in the office — do you just go to HR? Your boss? The useless people who really can’t do anything? Or do you stand up?

When you find the flipped over car at 2:30am with the young woman laying bloodied in the gravel — do you just call 911 and wait the 20 minutes for them to arrive? Or do you start CPR?

It’s easy to say or believe you are a brave person…

But it’s only in a moment of fear that you will know for sure.