COURAGE

Freddie the Unhappy Frog` had lost his croak and was therefore unable to tell anyone what was wrong. Our voices are so important. They are the most important tool we have to communicate with when we are in trouble, and yet so many people do not tell, or use their voice, when something is amiss in their lives. Someone who is being abused often does not tell, someone who is scared often does not tell, someone who is afraid of being judged often does not tell. The list is endless. There was not much that Freddie could do, apart from jumping up and down, and he had to rely on someone else to notice his distress. But sadly we cannot always rely on someone else to help us. This barrier of silence is so destructive because it means that all the pain is blocked inside us and left there it causes so much more trouble and even more pain. I believe if we could all talk more and listen more, we would be a much kinder, understanding society.

If any of this resonates with you, please know that there are people you can talk to in confidence. There are so many people and services waiting to listen and help you. It takes courage to tell, to open up, and though you will expose what you might consider a weakness it will, in reality, be the strongest thing you can do and will ultimately lead you to peace and an understanding of yourself that you never knew you could find. Finding your courage is hard. But once found it will be with you forever.

A little poem I wrote about courage

Courage is getting up each day to face what lies ahead,

And Courage is walking down the stairs when you’d rather stay in bed.

Courage is pouring a cup of tea with a very shaky hand

Courage is taking a tiny step when you feel you cannot stand.

Courage is trying to find a smile, to keep the tears at bay,

And Courage is finding your way back home when you have lost your way.

Courage is facing the pain of loss, then slowly letting it go,

And Courage is facing the awful truth that you’d rather just not know.

Courage is asking your friends for help when you have no words to say,

And Courage is standing tall and proud when you’d rather run away.

And when all the hurt in this lonely world is just too much for you,

Then Courage could be the only friend that will surely pull you through.

For to face the world with Courage brings strength and honour too,

And sometimes showing Courage is all that we can do.

By: Pauline Tabrar

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