The little bake-shop always seemed to be open and she
would greet me, whenever I went in, with a sad smile.
Then one day, I moved to another part of the country and
quickly forgot the bake-shop and the woman with the sad
smile.
Beginnings always lead to endings just as each ending
gives birth to a new beginning. Many years later, fate
would have it that a business trip would take me through
this same town of long ago. I stopped at the same
bake-shop to order some pastries and to see if the sad
woman was still there.
A new face greeted me with "Can I help you, sir?" I
placed my order and while waiting, curiosity got the
better of me. I mentioned that I used to come to this
shop years ago. I asked about the lady who used to work
there, the one with the sad smile.
"She was one brave little soul, sir," said the
salesperson. "She worked everyday to provide for her
young son. Her husband left her when Jimmy was just a
little boy. Hers was a really hard life, but she just
kept on going."
"So what happened to her? Where is she now?" I asked.
"Her son graduated from high school and then joined the
army and has a wonderful career. Last I heard, he's doing
very well. Not too long ago his mother remarried. She's
very happy now and doesn't have to work anywhere as hard
as she used to."
I paid for my order, thanked the salesperson and walked
out the door. Although I didn't really know Jimmy's mom,
I was so happy that things worked out for her. What
courage, what bravery, I thought. She kept going no
matter how tough things were. Indeed, she was a hero.
Courage is not only found in the heat of war or the
mighty works of brave men and women. Courage is the
mother taking care of her sick child in the early morning
hours. Courage is the father who shows up on time
everyday at a boring, low-paying, dead-end job to feed
and clothe his family.
Courage comes in many forms, not only from thoughts and
deeds of greatness, but in the routine, everyday art of
living. In a media-driven society, consumed by
celebrity status and the "get ahead" syndrome, the
mundane and unglamorous works often appear to go
unnoticed and unappreciated.
When life gets you down, when it seems that your world is
at an end, take courage and go the next step. You will be
amazed at the power and strength you have inside.
Just gather up enough courage to take you through this
day. You only have to live one day at a time. You do not
have to deal with all your troubles at one time. Like the
Scotsman said, "The troubles of tomorrow must wait until
this day is done."
Yes, courage comes from deep within the heart and flushes
away the paralysis created by fear. A song, a story, a
poem or a friend could re-ignite the spark of courage and
inspire us to take the next step to success.
Like Jimmy's mom, take the next step and keep taking
them. Success may be much closer than you think. Just one
more step. Look! Just beyond the horizon, can you see it?
The darkness is giving way to light. Yes, morning has
been all night coming, but see how surely it comes.
Courage! Keep moving toward the light.
Lecturer, entrepreneur and MBA business consultant, John Harricharan is the author of the award-winning book, "When You Can Walk on Water, Take the Boat." Spiritual SimplicityThe Real Secret