On the Coast – Families Issue 100 I June/July 2019 | Page 30

Courage
BY CATHERINE SCHASSER
T
his edition of Kidz On The
Coast marks 100 editions of this
wonderful and informative,
local magazine. Beginning as a seed
of an idea between two friends, it has
since flourished into not one successful
magazine, but two. As a self-labelled
chaser-of-dreams, I am curious if at one
point, this dream sat on the cusp of ‘do
we, or don’t we?’
I wonder if fear entered the arena
and called upon Simone and Debbie’s
courage before they were able to move
forward with their vision? If so, this
would have required these two friends
to feel, acknowledge and label the fear,
before gaining clarity on the motivating
reason they needed to press forward
with courage, although the future of
their adventure was uncertain.
We will each require courage in our
lives, which will come in one of two ways
– we will call on it consciously and with
intent…or it will call on us.
My hope for you is scenario one,
where you seek out courage by choice. As
you navigate and explore this sometimes
wild and often wonderful life, you
discover a dream or area of growth that
calls you. It could appear small, like trying
a new food or joining a gym. It might be
taking a new class or volunteering at
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O N T H E C OA S T – FA M ILIES
your child’s school that requires your
courage. Perhaps it’s a much more
obvious call for courage such as skydiving
or public speaking! You action this desire
though, conscious you want the growth
or experience that will follow. You
consider the fors and against, the should
I’s and should I not’s, and you breathe.
You plant your feet, broaden your
shoulders and raise your head high as
you venture forth, courage by your side.
“Ummm, no” you might reply to me.
‘I did not stand tall. I wasn’t courageous,
I was petrified. I walked slowly and
nervously, almost retreating a thousand
times. I was shaking, my heart was
racing and I wanted to leave.’
You didn’t leave though. You took as
step forward, literally and metaphorically.
Remember, courage does not always roar,
sometimes it is the quiet whisper inside
yourself, encouraging and urging you on.
This is how I hope you experience
courage in your life, by actively seeking
growth via the road of fear, and pressing
forward with purpose and intent.
I’d be naïve to believe this is the
reality for each of us though. It isn’t, is it?
Sometimes courage does not wait on the
sidelines of our life. Circumstance causes
it to rise up from the dormant place it
lies within us, forcing us to face it. Here
is your divorce. Here is your sister’s
illness. Here is your child’s diagnosis.
Here is your suffering, your sadness,
your devastation. ‘Come with me and I
will carry you through. It’s time to play’,
states courage. You may not listen at
first, unprepared, ill-equipped, cloaked
in denial and fear. ‘I can’t work with you
courage. You don’t know me. You don’t
belong with me. I’m broken, I’m weak
and I’m done. I don’t have the strength or
bravery to go with you. Leave me be.’
Courage waits. It has known you
longer than you think.
Slowly… ‘courage? Are you there? I
think I need you now.’
Life provides us many opportunities
and means to explore courage. Some
define courage as strength or bravery
and some define it as a choice. Others
state courage walks hand-in-hand with
fear. I believe it is each of these and more.
Courage is also vulnerability. Courage
is not limited to relationships and
emotions, yet is often required physically,
financially and mentally. Always
however, it is a mindset. Whether it is
the quiet voice inside your head or a
fierce onslaught of unwavering bravery,
courage in all its forms is your ally. It is
the choice to go forward, to try again,
day after day, moment after moment. It