Facing new horizons: "Teardrops on the fire.."

On courage...

"It's when you know you're licked before you begin but you begin anyway and you see it through no matter what. You rarely win, but sometimes you do."-- To Kill A Mockingbird

Courage is when you know you're going to get a headache from it, but you do it anyway. It's when you know there will be tears, but you decide to put a step in that direction, anyway. Courage starts at the very beginning - when the thoughts form - and carries on till the very end - when the tears fall. Courage is taking a good, long look at your lifeless life, and smiling. It's leaving the doors of the Past wide open, and not breaking down. It's looking at the Future with eyes wide open, and seeing dreams. Courage is when you can embrace your demons, and make them blend in with the colours of your life. When you can look at pain in the eye, and not lose the shine in your own eyes. When you can live in the memories that once were, and not let it affect the memories that are yet to come.

The beautiful thing about courage is, it is not one of those things which, if you have it once, you will have it for life. You need to find new ways all the time. Courage is not an in-built feeling. You have to 'earn' it, of sorts, and you have to do so by yourself. However much love and support you have, courage is only learnt during the battle with your own self. It's a challenge - it always is. I like challenges.