Joyful Ruins

How do you define courage

when it is of such a contrasting

nature

Both the voice that says “I’ll keep going”

in the midst of adversity

And

the voice that says “I surrender”

It is, at times,

a shout across a crowd

And

complete silence

Its actions speak louder than words

while words on a paper

can set a fire to the world

It comes in the form of a warrior

who stands up for justice

flights his or her way

And

in the form of

an ordinary person

overlooked

sometimes forgotten

yet kind

and generous

It’s in the late nights of hard thankless work

and

the acts of triumph seen by the world and celebrated

It is in the cancer free patient

And

in the forever chronically ill

You find it in the eyes of a mother

as she delivers her baby

and

in the eyes of a child

as they take their first steps

In doctors and nurses

teachers and janitors

In the small moments

and the big

in the “small” people

in the “big”

In the grand speeches

and fervent prayers in solitude

In the heart

and in the mind

There is a vast array

of colors

when courage is displayed

I’d imagine

it’s in all of us

We have shown it

we have seen it

we always have it

Just don’t forget

it’s not as easily defined

as some would say