SUCH A COURAGEOUS LION

YOU KNOW, WE OFTEN SPEAK OF COURAGE IN RELATION TO HARDSHIP AND UNBEATABLE ODDS.  IT IS THE WILLINGNESS TO GO ON, WHEN THE WORLD HAS SEEMINGLY TURNED AGAINST YOU, OR AT LEAST, TURNED THEIR BACKS ON YOU.  COURAGE IS NOT EVERYONE'S CUP OF TEA EITHER, SOME WOULD RATHER BACK AWAY OR LIVE TO FIGHT ANOTHER DAY, SO TO SPEAK.  IT IS DIFFICULT ENOUGH TO SUMMON COURAGE, LET ALONE DO IT AT WILL.  THE HARDEST TIME TO SUMMON COURAGE THO, IS OVER THE LONG HAUL.  THIS IS THE MOST DIFFICULT TIME TO BE COURAGEOUS.  TO STAND STEADFAST, AND BELIEVE, THAT TIME WILL ULTIMATELY REVEAL UNTO YOU AND EVERYONE ELSE, WHAT YOU HAVE BELIEVED TO BE TRUE ALL ALONG.  IT TAKES COURAGE TO BELIEVE IN SOMETHING, THAT EITHER ONLY YOU, OR A SMALL GROUP, BELIEVE TO BE TRUE.  SOME PEOPLE YOU START OUT WITH, ARE QUICK TO ABANDON THE IDEA OF THAT COURAGE, IN SEARCH OF SOME SORT OF SOLID GROUND.  COURAGE IS A LOT LIKE A LEAP OF FAITH, AND YOU HAVE TO BELIEVE YOU WILL FLY.  IT WILL COME, BUT, YOU HAVE TO HAVE THE COURAGE TO JUMP IN THE FIRST PLACE.

THIS IS PROBABLY WHERE I'M AT RIGHT NOW.  I HAVE ALREADY JUMPED OFF THE CLIFF IN AN ACT OF COURAGE, BUT NOW IN THE FREE-FALL, IT IS HARD BELIEVING THAT I WILL BEGIN TO FLY, AND MY HAND IS ON THE PARACHUTE RIP CORD.  I WANT TO PULL IT, IN SEARCH OF SOLID GROUND, BUT, I AM TRYING TO BE COURAGEOUS, BELIEVE THAT THE WINGS WILL SPROUT, AND I WILL BEGIN TO FLY.  IT'S NOT EASY.  I HAVE ALWAYS HAD ISSUES WITH THE COURAGE TO BELIEVE IN MYSELF, BUT, NOT THIS TIME.  ALONG THE WAY, I HAVE COME ACROSS OTHER PEOPLE WHO HAVE ACCEPTED THIS SAME PHILOSOPHY AND HAD THE COURAGE TO LEAP.....THEY ARE DOING GREAT, AND FLYING, OR AT LEAST GLIDING.  PATIENCE IS A COMPONENT OF COURAGE, AND SO AS I CONTINUE TO FALL, I WILL BE COURAGEOUS, I WILL BE PATIENT, AND I WILL CONTINUE TO BELIEVE.  SEE YOU IN THE SKIES, MY FRIENDS.      -  925