Learning To Be Brave

I have a truth to reveal.

I'm not the person I thought I was.

I've always thought of myself as someone who stands up and speaks what I feel is right.  I give my opinion.  I make myself heard.

Turns out....that's only in my head.

My daughter called me out on this issue last night.

I'm not as brave as I thought.

Let me step back to this summer, as I am slogging through my final semester of my nursing program, nearly finished with my bachelor's degree....and excessively worried about landing a job as quickly as possible after graduation.  My amazing husband spent the summer driving our children to various destinations of fun and learning while I stayed behind, studying my brains out and working through 12-hour clinical days.  I rented "The Secret Life of Walter Mitty" one Friday while my family was gone.

I fell in love with it.

I could identify so much with the main character.  He wasn't brave.  He didn't go after what he really wanted, until one day....he just decided that being brave was better than being left behind.

It inspired me to go after the job I really wanted, and to be who I really wanted to be.

Turns out though, being brave is a hard thing to do.

I don't loudly tout my opinions because I don't want to rock the boat, muddy the waters, raise a ruckus...you name it.

If there is something I disagree with, I just keep my mouth shut.

I tried last night to justify this with my daughter.

She didn't buy it.

I raised her better than that.

So now, I suppose I need to do outwardly what I do on the inside.

I may be rejected by some, but if I am who I believe I am, then that won't matter.

Let me reveal some other truths about me.

I am a registered Democrat and consider myself to be a conservative liberal.  I voted for Pres. Obama both times and don't regret it.

I believe that sex education should be taught in schools, even to young children.  The content should be tailored to each age group and parents should have a large say in what is taught.  Some believe that sex ed should be reserved for the parents to teach.  However, not every child has the luxury of having parents that are willing to have these serious and important discussions with them, and it is vital that children know and understand the consequences of sex and how their bodies function.  If this does not occur in the home, then where will the child get his/her information from?  Better the devil you know than the one you don't.

I believe that everyone has a right to own a gun.  I personally don't, and don't ever care to.  I also believe that it is unnecessary for anyone to own an automatic weapon.  If a gun is for hunting and/or personal protection, that's fine.  But I don't think that having an automatic weapon will kill your game better or keep you better protected than standard weaponry.

I have another truth that I will reveal another day, because it is one that I am currently dealing and struggling with now and am not at a point yet where I can share it.

But today, I will start my own path to be brave.  Come what may.  You may attack if you feel it warranted, but I stand by what I believe.

I am Brave.