August 14

COURAGE MONTH: DAY 14:  “Owning our story can be hard but not nearly as difficult as spending our lives running from it. Embracing our vulnerabilities is risky but not nearly as dangerous as giving up on love and belonging and joy—the experiences that make us the most vulnerable. Only when we are brave enough to explore the darkness will we discover the infinite power of our light.” ― Brené Brown

Some things take an entire lifetime to come out from under. Who knows what time can do? There is always more…always another layer…always another level of freedom to seek. I am so grateful that I did not know how much was there when I began this journey. I am so grateful that this Courage thing is not all at once, but a process that goes deeper and deeper each time.

We do not get to see what we will unfold until it is sitting with us in a big way sometimes. And it always means we need to gather the tribe that will walk that road along the way. Mostly they are witness, because our growth and our fear and our process belongs singularly to us. Let us always be mindful, however, that the freedom belongs to us all. Why is that? Because we are showing the road, lights to the journey. And when we show someone how they cannot ever say they do not know. It is a continuum; I have seen what it looks like when others take the journey, and now I know it is a righteous journey. Therefore, I celebrate their teaching by never stopping the journey. And those who are my witnesses will know this same truth when it is their day, even if I am no longer here to teach and walk beside them.

The unfolding of a life is such an amazing thing! Some of my dearest ones have had a shattering experience (or 100 of them) and we can hold each other in times of despair and deep longing for peace in the battle we wage for a sense of safety and footing. This isn’t as big and dramatic as it sounds, but it can feel like that. And we own it and we share it and it is a strengthening of hearts and souls and intention we receive from each other. What a tremendous gift!

And we move to and through and dance a bit each day…knowing that we may also cry and laugh and love and rage as well. Life is such an incredible journey of ‘to and through’. I just remembered my newest Kelly-ism from a couple of months ago: “Own what you are shown”. That is it! We DO THAT!!!

I love this life and the journey and the things we are so blessed to receive and do and learn from. Wow!!