The Practice of Courage

Courage . . . a small act of love

I am feeling this energetic push, pull, that feels chaotic and uncomfortable I want to do something about it.

The discomfort in my chest is pushing me to fix it.

And then I came upon a soft reminder from one of my favorite deep thought writers, Mark Nepo.

He writes simply, and so beautifully that it speaks to my heart and soul.

I needed this right now . . for me.  I thought maybe, just maybe this will serve you too.

The Practice of Courage

“The practice of courage is doing small things with love. This was Mother Theresa’s anthem. We begin to dismantle what is overwhelming by beginning the journey of involvement one hand at a time, one kindness at a time, one utterance of truth at a time. Things that require courage seem impossible from the outside, but once we begin, we’re no longer on the outside. This lets us see more. This lets us feel the current of the situation we have to cross. Any small act of love shows us the next step to be taken. So it’s imperative to stop rehearsing the perfect starting point and begin.

We can practice doing small things with love when we’re not afraid, so it will be available to us when we are afraid. You can do this by making dinner for your dog, or getting coffee for your loved one, or holding the door for an elder who’s taking way too long to cross the parking lot in the rain. The world is our practice ground.

The word authentic comes from the Greek, authentes, which means bearing the mark of the hands. Doing small things with love is how we care for each other, one hand at a time. Doing small things with love releases our courage. And each small act we’re led to leads to more. Doing small things with love is the atom of bravery. I tell myself when afraid, “To be courageous, I don’t need to become my best self; I just need to open who I already am, and courage will fill me.”   ~Mark Nepo

So what if we were to do a few small things with love for ourself to release courage in our heart?

Hugs to you all . . .

With love and a gentle reminder about courage.

Debbie