This morning I sat with Noah in the rocker, a place we go to several times a day. It has become a quiet, soothing place that I love. We sat and listened to the morning's sweet melodies: the birds singing their songs, a mower spinning away at the grass (oh, how I love the scent of freshly cut grass!), the wind whirring through the tree branches below. As I held him, he looked around curiously (as he usually does) with his big brown eyes. He paused at a print that hangs on his wall over a reindeer hide we bought in Finland, it says "BE BRAVE."
It makes me think of warriors and hunters, strong and fearless with their bows and arrows.
He held his gaze there for a few moments. I watched him silently, almost holding my breath so as not to disturb what I felt lucky enough to watch. I thought about the word brave, the meanings it holds.
He held his gaze there for a few moments. I watched him silently, almost holding my breath so as not to disturb what I felt lucky enough to watch. I thought about the word brave, the meanings it holds.
Warriors, heroes, adventurers.
This is what we often think of, but isn't it more than that? Isn't it more accurately an ordinary person acting with courage? An ordinary person doing the impossible, the unimaginable, something scary? Isn't that what really makes a hero?
I want my kids to be brave.
I looked up "brave" in the dictionary so I could think about it some more.
My favorite synonyms are these three: doughty (steadfastly courageous and resolute; valiant), intrepid (fearless, adventurous), lionhearted (exceptionally courageous or brave).
This is what we often think of, but isn't it more than that? Isn't it more accurately an ordinary person acting with courage? An ordinary person doing the impossible, the unimaginable, something scary? Isn't that what really makes a hero?
I want my kids to be brave.
I looked up "brave" in the dictionary so I could think about it some more.
My favorite synonyms are these three: doughty (steadfastly courageous and resolute; valiant), intrepid (fearless, adventurous), lionhearted (exceptionally courageous or brave).
Yesterday Noah had two more vaccines, and he was such a trooper, as always. I felt like a proud mama, and I found myself whispering to him how brave I think he is.
As I stared with him at the artwork this morning, I kept thinking about Noah's bravery, and about how kids are actually intrinsically so brave. They are faced with this crazy, wild, scary, new world for the first time. So many new things, so much that's unfamiliar, so many feelings and experiences to sort through. And yet, they embrace these little lives of theirs. They run with wild abandon. They laugh loudly, they squeal with excitement and they cry when they need to. They ask so many questions until they feel that they can understand; they trust and love deeply, and they forgive and forget quickly; they explore and experiment; they build and create. They aren't afraid of failure. They aren't ashamed when they make mistakes, they don't mind if they don't quite understand and they even love to look silly.
As I stared with him at the artwork this morning, I kept thinking about Noah's bravery, and about how kids are actually intrinsically so brave. They are faced with this crazy, wild, scary, new world for the first time. So many new things, so much that's unfamiliar, so many feelings and experiences to sort through. And yet, they embrace these little lives of theirs. They run with wild abandon. They laugh loudly, they squeal with excitement and they cry when they need to. They ask so many questions until they feel that they can understand; they trust and love deeply, and they forgive and forget quickly; they explore and experiment; they build and create. They aren't afraid of failure. They aren't ashamed when they make mistakes, they don't mind if they don't quite understand and they even love to look silly.
Doughty. Unabashed. Lionhearted.
We have so much to learn from our children. Our brave, brave children. They ARE brave, they are born brave. They aren't perfect, they aren't fragile...no they are made for adventure. They are designed to dream and explore and make lots of mistakes. They are created to be creatures who are wild and free.
We have so much to learn from our children. Our brave, brave children. They ARE brave, they are born brave. They aren't perfect, they aren't fragile...no they are made for adventure. They are designed to dream and explore and make lots of mistakes. They are created to be creatures who are wild and free.
We once were brave, too. My little baby boy is already so brave, and he is teaching me to find my inner child and, once again, be brave like him, too.
xo.
xo.