Words That Endure Through Courage

There are many lessons I've learned in life, and one of them is that I don't know a lot.

This has been a traumatic and challenging week for millions.

There really isn’t much more I can say that isn’t already being said.

I live my experiences in words. I see words. I live words. And the word that's been consistently rising in my thoughts is courage.

As I've meditated for days on that word, thoughts about well-known figures in history and stories I've read along the way of everyday people who have demonstrated courage despite their life challenges have filled my thoughts.

We can never assume we know anyone's burden, and each day, millions, if not billions, of people, wake up, and despite the fear, hurt, pain, or suffering, they get up, get dressed, and have the courage to continue moving forward.

As I pondered the idea of courage in a tumultuous and painful week, I happened on the words of Toni Morrison after a significant election.

This is precisely the time when artists go to work. There is no time for despair, no place for self-pity, no need for silence, no room for fear. We speak, we write, we do language. That is how civilizations heal.

I know the world is bruised and bleeding, and though it is important not to ignore its pain, it is also critical to refuse to succumb to its malevolence. Like failure, chaos contains information that can lead to knowledge — even wisdom. Like art.

And for me, it is from this perspective that I start to try to bring light—if only a sliver.

© 2024 Linda N. Spencer, My Red Sneakers. All Rights Reserved.