Courage

Last night I had the privilege of listening to Captain Phillips describe his adventure with Somali pirates to a packed house. He was witty and charming and inspiring.

But then I thought about the people I have known–and in particular in my family.

Here I am with my Auntie Hazel and her grand-daughter Aja. She is 93 years old and has not had an easy life—from a husband who almost died in a farming accident with the loss of his arm, who then had a stroke on his ‘good side’, the loss of her sister–my mother–to ovarian cancer, her daughter–my cousin–to breast cancer, to a blended family of adopted children from foreign lands and stepchildren—she still always has a smile on her face and laughs at her own misdoings.

She lived through the depression, rationing, worked as a telephone operator on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at one of those old switchboards and party lines.

Perhaps courage is not defined by a single moment, or a single episode in our life–but in daily living, one day at a time.