Brave Heart

I have had a good share of hits, as everyone else, I suppose. It is hard for me to think objectively to determine if I have been strong or not, but I can assume that yes, strength has been one of my prizes and my only way of salvation.

Today as I reflected in many of my life’s events, I realized that really going through something is not a sign of victory. Sometimes we go through because we are carried away and sometimes out of stubbornness. Real victory, the stuff that transform us into superheroes, is not going through difficulties until we can see them in the rearview mirror.

Real victory is to remain open hearted even when our hearts have been broken.

It’s remaining hopeful even when we realize there are dreams that will never come true.

It’s embracing vulnerability even when we have been betrayed or maliciously hurt.

It’s to keep giving our all even when someone has taken advantage of us.

It’s is having a passion for life even when life does not seem quite exciting at the moment.

It’s persisting in having illusions even when the world screams we should keep our feet in the ground.

It’s to continue feeling everything even when all we want is to numb ourselves.

I am not talking abut martyrdom. Boundaries still need to be in place and not pretend that we can stay in the same environment that hurt us . But when we assume that one person’s action will be repeated by the rest of the world and to eternity and beyond, we are shooting ourselves on our feet. Nobody, No thing, No situation deserves that we stop living to the fullest. Our power lays in our capacity to discern that as long as we are aware, we can walk through life fearless. We hold the power to live at our fullest, and no situation deserves that we waste a life like that.

I don’t know how strong I am, but I trust my persistence to keep moving forward, with an open, brave heart. Maybe that is where my strength is.

@jakobowens1