Tuesday's Thought

Slippery fingers pushed 'enter' a couple of times while putting this post together and it posted with nothing in the content....grrrr! Anyway, here's this week's REAL thought:


Courage
“Climbing with Courage”
--Alexander Lockhart
Courage, contrary to popular belief, is not the absence of fear, but the heart to act in spite of fear. It is doing what you’re afraid to do, taking risks, and growing bigger through strength and confidence when the odds look like they may be against you. Courage enables you to accept opposition and then guides you with determination to conquer it. By discovering specific fears that are inhibiting the growth of your full potential, you can then develop the courage to manage these fears and direct your choices in life with decisions which enhance your well being.
Sometimes before we begin to reach high and climb toward our dreams we often look back at a time when we may have experienced a setback and fallen backward. It then becomes hard for us to bring forth the courage to continue. As you encounter challenges in your life, they may seem as hard to overcome as climbing a mountain, but if you persist, you will learn and grow from them and develop the courage to continue forward.
Once, a team of mountain climbers set out on an expedition to try to conquer Mount Everest. The first attempt failed, as did the second. Then, on their third attempt, despite careful planning and extensive safety precautions, disaster struck. An avalanche hit, and most of the team was injured. A few weeks later, a group held a glorious banquet to salute the team for their great act of courage and their attempts at greatness. As the leader of the failed expedition stood to address the group, he walked over to face a huge picture of Mount Everest which hung like a silent unconquerable giant behind the banquet table. He then made a fist and pointed to the picture and said, “Mount Everest, you defeated us once; you defeated us twice; you defeated us three times. But, Mount Everest, we shall someday defeat you, because you can’t get any bigger but we can.”
Courage is the mastery over fear. It is not allowing fear to take over and control our lives. Courage means persevering when life has dealt you a seemingly losing hand. It is turning your crisis into an opportunity. Each time you are willing to face your fears, you are summoning the courage to rise above disappointments, take risks, and grow stronger. Dare to dream big and awaken the courage within yourself to face adversity and to go forth with your desires. With courage your fears can’t get any bigger, but you can!